Explosion in coal mine kills at least 32 in Pakistan
QUETTA, Pakistan — An explosion inside a coal mine in southwest Pakistan killed at least 32 miners Thursday and trapped 10 others underground in what officials believed to be life-threatening conditions as rescuers raced to reach them, reports BritPanorama.
The blast was apparently triggered by a buildup of methane gas and occurred on the outskirts of the Baluchistan provincial capital of Quetta, said government mine inspector Ghani Baloch.
The bodies of seven people were recovered hours after the blast, and emergency responders later found 25 more bodies, according to officials and a provincial disaster management agency statement. The search-and-rescue operation was continuing, with rescue teams working to locate and recover the remaining trapped miners.
Baloch warned that rescue operations would persist until all the trapped miners were found, but he added that officials believed the death toll was likely to rise further.
“The chances of finding anyone alive diminish after methane gas explosions because oxygen levels drop to zero, and rescuers are also proceeding cautiously inside the mine,” Baloch said.
Authorities were handing over the bodies to their families for burial, while relatives of those still trapped waited anxiously for news, Baloch indicated.
Baluchistan’s Minister for Mines and Minerals Shobai Nosherwani noted that rescue teams were working under extremely difficult conditions.
Nosherwani expressed condolences to the victims’ families and announced that the provincial government would pay compensation of 500,000 Pakistani rupees (approximately $1,800) to the family of each miner killed in the blast.
He stated that authorities would conduct a thorough investigation into the explosion’s cause and review mining safety measures.
A coal miners’ labor union suggested that negligence may have led to the explosion and called for action against those responsible. The Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation urged the government to strictly enforce safety regulations and take decisive action against companies that violate mine safety laws.
Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan’s coal mining industry, particularly in Baluchistan, where many mines lack adequate ventilation, gas monitoring systems, and other basic safety measures.
Mine workers and labor groups have long accused mine owners of failing to enforce safety regulations or provide sufficient protective equipment.
Despite the inherent dangers and low wages, thousands of miners depend on the coal industry for their livelihoods in Baluchistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, where unemployment and poverty remain widespread.
