An explosion in a Balochistan coal mine resulted in twelve fatalities and eight rescues, as confirmed by officials on Wednesday.
Initially, reports indicated 18 miners were entrapped following a collapse caused by a significant explosion in the mine’s Zardalo area, Harnai district. The mine’s chief inspector announced a rescue operation.
Balochistan’s chief mine inspector, Abdul Ghani Baloch, declared the rescue effort concluded on Wednesday morning. He revealed that 20 miners were present during a nighttime methane explosion. Twelve bodies were recovered, and survivors received hospital care.
“Two bodies were found overnight, and ten more this morning,” Abdul Ghani Baloch informed. Abdullah Shahwani, provincial mining director general, corroborated the fatalities.
The incident, which occurred roughly 80 kilometres from Quetta, initially seemed to involve ten miners. Rescue teams worked overnight to recover them.
Additionally, eight would-be rescuers were temporarily trapped but were eventually saved, some unconscious, by government rescuers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the lives lost, directing comprehensive medical care for the injured. He described the event as distressing, promising government support for the victims and their families.
National Assembly leaders Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah also mourned the tragedy and wished swift recoveries for the injured.
Coal mining accidents are frequent in Pakistan, particularly in regions near the Afghan border, often attributed to gas build-ups, inadequate safety gear, and poor working conditions.
Lala Sultan of the Balochistan Coal Mines Workers Federation criticized the region’s disregard for safety measures and compared it with other provinces’ protocols.
The narrative of mining tragedies in Balochistan includes various incidents over the years, highlighting ongoing safety challenges within the sector.
