QUETTA: As many as 18 miners were trapped after an explosion inside a coal mine in the Zardalo area of Harnai district on Tuesday night.

Officials said 10 miners were working in the mine when a powerful explosion took place. “A big portion of the mine caved in and 10 workers were trapped inside the mine,” they said.

After the incident, a group of local miners went inside to rescue the trapped miners, but they were also trapped there due to the presence of methane gas, Levies officials said.

The directorate of chief inspector of mines said teams had launched a rescue operation. However, no miner could be rescued till late into the night.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2024