Shanxi mine rescuer wins national award during Zambia competition

Over its 74-year operational history, the organization has responded to more than 4,100 industrial emergencies, successfully rescuing over 3,700 individuals and recovering an estimated 1 billion yuan ($147 million) in industrial infrastructure and property.

During his decade-long tenure, Huo has focused on physical specialization and technical equipment upgrades. Among his operational developments is a rapid respirator troubleshooting protocol designed to allow underground operators to isolate and fix breathing apparatus malfunctions under zero-visibility conditions.

"In an unventilated or compromised shaft environment, a respirator failure is immediately fatal," Huo said. "This diagnostic method allows a rescuer to manually identify and resolve mechanical faults within seconds, preventing the suspension of a rescue operation."

Huo's team has routinely deployed to high-risk regional accidents, including the June 2021 flooding of a commercial mine in Daixian county, Shanxi. Huo was part of the initial reconnaissance detachment that entered the waterlogged shafts to assess structural stability and clear structural blockages for the main pump lines.

He previously managed field operations during the 11th International Mine Rescue Competition in Russia in 2018, where his unit received a team award after engineering a structural bypass using local timber to clear a simulated air-duct collapse and communication blackout.

Alongside active emergency deployments, Huo has conducted 38 preventative mine safety inspections, documenting and correcting more than 150 underground safety hazards to mitigate regional industrial risks. "The structural strength of a rescue unit depends on transferring field experience to the next generation of technicians," Huo said. "Standardizing these safety protocols is what maintains long-term operational stability on the front lines."

Zhao Yunzhuo contributed to this story.