Death toll in Pakistan coal mine blast rises to 11

The death toll from a coal mine collapse due to methane buildup and an explosion has left 11 workers dead after rescuers recovered seven more bodies, an official said.

Afghan workers load coal into a truck bound for Pakistan at a coal yard near the snow-capped mountains on the outskirts of Kabul on January 6. (AFP)

Twelve workers were trapped Wednesday evening in a coal mine collapse in the Sanjdi area, about 40 kilometers from Quetta, in Balochistan province.

In three days of rescue work, 11 bodies had been found as of Saturday evening, with rescuers still searching for the last worker inside the collapsed structure, said Abdullah Shawani, head of the province’s mining department.

“There is little chance that the last worker will survive that long in the collapsed mine,” Shawani said.

“The incident occurred due to accumulation of gas, which caused an explosion and the collapse of the mine,” Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.

He said large-scale rescue operations were underway, but progress was slow due to the presence of toxic gas and debris.

An investigation is underway to determine whether proper mining regulations were followed, he said.

Pir Muhammad Kakar, one of the leaders of the mine workers’ association, said the incident was a result of non-enforcement of mining regulations by the coal mine owner and blamed the department officials for the incident. mines.

Kakar demanded strict action against these officials.

Coal mine collapses and worker deaths are common in coal-rich western Balochistan, known for unsafe working conditions and poor safety standards.

In March last year, at least 12 miners were killed in a gas explosion at a coal mine in Harnai.

In May 2018, 23 people were killed and 11 injured after two nearby coal mines collapsed in Sanjdi, while 43 workers also died in 2011 when gas explosions caused the collapse of another mine in the Balochistan.