By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: An explosion in a coal mine in Balochistan’s Harnai district has resulted in the death of twelve miners, with eight others being rescued, officials said on Wednesday.
The blast, which occurred in the Zardalo area, trapped eighteen miners after a significant section of the mine collapsed.
Balochistan’s chief inspector of mines, Abdul Ghani , announced the completion of the rescue operation early Wednesday morning.
Baloch said twenty miners were present when the explosion, caused by methane gas, occurred overnight. Rescue efforts led to the recovery of twelve bodies, while the survivors were transported to the hospital for treatment. “Two bodies were recovered during the night, with the remaining ten retrieved early in the morning.”
The province’s director general of mining, Abdullah Shahwani, confirmed the death toll.
Initially, it was believed that only ten miners were involved in the incident, which took place approximately 80 kilometers east of Quetta. Rescue workers from the government mining department and the disaster management agency worked tirelessly throughout the night, the provincial government said in a statement.
A separate group of eight individuals, attempting to rescue their trapped colleagues, also found themselves ensnared for several hours. They were eventually extricated by a government rescue team, with some rendered unconscious.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of lives and directed that all possible medical assistance be provided to the injured miners, state Radio reported.
Coal mining accidents are a recurring issue in Pakistan, particularly in the western regions near the Afghan border, where coal deposits are abundant. The lack of safety equipment and substandard working conditions have been cited by labor union officials as primary factors contributing to these frequent accidents.
According to provincial mining associations, over 70,000 miners work across hundreds of coal fields in the province. Many of those who joined the profession in the past lost their lives due to the neglectful attitudes of private coal mine owners who often disregard worker safety.
In 2022, 56 coal mine accidents were reported in Balochistan province, resulting in the deaths of at least 76 workers who were operating without proper safety equipment in hazardous mine sites.
“In Ramadan, the workers started digging for coal after [the sunset] iftar [meal],” Ghani said. “They went inside the pit which was filled with hazardous gas. We will investigate whether they ignited a flame inside the mine that caused the explosion.”
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