QUETTA: At least six miners have been killed in a gas explosion inside a coal mine in the Harnai district, officials said on Friday.

According to officials, the miners were digging at a depth of around 1,500 feet when methane gas accumulated inside the mine, resulting in a powerful explosion.

The workers were trapped inside as a portion of the mine collapsed due to the intensity of the blast, closing off its entrance.

As rescue and Levies officials, along with a team of miners launched a search operation, five members of the rescue party fell unconscious due to the presence of methane gas and got stuck in the mine.

Another team entered the mine and succeeded in saving the lives of the unconscious rescue workers who were shifted to a nearby health facility.

Balochistan’s Chief Inspector of Mines Abdul Ghani Baloch said rescue teams managed to reach the point of the explosion but all six miners were dead by then. “All the six bodies have been retrieved from the mine,” Mr Ghani told Dawn.

Workers were trapped at a depth of 1,500 feet

The bodies were shifted to the Rural Health Centre in Shahrag for medical formalities.

A health official said that the condition of three other coal miners was serious and they have been shifted to Quetta Civil Hospital.

Their bodies were dispatched to native towns.

According to officials, three miners belonged to Afghanistan, two hailed from Qila Saifullah and one from Harnai.

Mr Ghani said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has expressed sorrow over the death of the miners.

In a statement, the chief minister expressed concerns over the rising deaths of coal miners. He directed the officials concerned to submit a comprehensive report on the issue.

“All possible measures should be adopted to prevent such mishaps in coal mines,” Mr Bizenjo directed officials.

In mines across Balochistan, miners work in extremely dangerous conditions due to lax safety protocols. The deteriorating law and order situation in the province means these miners often become the target of militants.

On Feb 27, unknown attackers gunned down four coal miners and injured three in the Harnai district. The assailants set 11 coal mines on fire before fleeing the scene. In March 2022, three workers were rescued from a coal mine in the Harnai district after being stuck for over 100 hours. Six miners, in total, were trapped due to an explosion caused by methane gas. The rescuers managed to reach three workers within 24 hours. The efforts to recover the remaining three got prolonged as they were trapped deep inside the mine with debris blocking the access.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2023