Quetta, July 31 (Yes Punjab News)
At least 15 coal miners have died and more than two dozen others remain trapped after a methane gas explosion caused a massive accident at a coal mine in Balochistan’s Sorange coalfield, officials said.
The blast occurred at a private coal mine where miners were working nearly 4,000 feet underground. Officials said 24 workers were present inside the mine when the explosion took place, triggering a fire and causing parts of the structure to collapse.
Another nearby mine was also affected by the incident, leaving additional workers trapped. Chief Inspector of Mines Muhammad Atif said a total of 36 miners were working across the two mines when the explosion occurred.
Rescue teams from the Mines and Minerals Department and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) were deployed to the site. Authorities continued efforts to locate and evacuate the missing miners, with officials saying hazardous gases and difficult underground conditions were hampering operations.
Atif said the preliminary assessment suggested that the explosion was caused by the accumulation of methane gas deep inside the mine, which led to the fire and the spread of toxic gases.
Coal mine accidents are frequent in Pakistan due to concerns over safety standards and inadequate protective measures. Earlier in May, two miners were killed and another injured in separate coal mine incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shangla district.
In one incident, two workers were buried under debris at Akhorwal coal mines and were later recovered after a rescue operation involving fellow miners and local residents. In another incident, a miner died while working in the Chaparmashti area.
Labour groups and local residents have repeatedly raised concerns over safety conditions in Pakistan’s mining sector and urged authorities to strengthen enforcement of safety regulations.
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