Death Toll From Balochistan Coal Mine Explosion Rises to 34
Quetta — The death toll from a methane gas explosion at a coal mine in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has risen to 34 as rescue crews continue searching for miners trapped beneath the debris, local media reported Friday.
The explosion occurred Thursday at a mine in the Sorange area after methane gas accumulated underground, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority. A large section of the mine collapsed following the blast, trapping workers under the rubble.
Authorities said 41 miners were inside the mine when the explosion occurred. The bodies of 34 workers have been recovered, while teams from the mines department, emergency services and the district administration continue efforts to locate the remaining miners.
Chief Inspector of Mines Muhammad Atif said the blast was believed to have occurred about 4,000 feet underground, where accumulated methane gas caused a fire and released hazardous gases.
Atif said methane buildup is responsible for most coal mine explosions in Balochistan.
The latest disaster follows two separate coal mine incidents in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in May that left two miners dead and another injured.
In one incident at the Akhorwal coal mines in Shangla district, two workers were buried under debris during mining operations. Rescue workers, fellow miners and local residents freed them after an operation lasting nearly two and a half hours.
In a separate incident, a miner was killed while working at a coal mine in the Chaparmashti area.
Local residents and labor organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about inadequate safety measures in Pakistan’s coal mines and called on authorities to strengthen oversight and worker protections. (Source: IANS)
