QUETTA: The death toll from the coal mine collapse in Balochistan’s Sorange area has risen to 34 after rescue teams recovered six more bodies from the site, while efforts continued to retrieve the remaining miners believed to be trapped underground, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Friday.
PDMA officials said the search and rescue operation was still underway to reach the remaining miners trapped inside the mine.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has sought a detailed report on the incident and warned that strict action would be taken if negligence or misconduct was found.
He also directed the authorities to ensure the strict implementation of safety regulations at coal mines across the province.
Reacting to the tragedy, JUI-N spokesperson Abdul Sattar Chishti expressed sorrow over the loss of lives, saying thousands of miners had died in similar accidents over the years.
He urged the government to take immediate and effective measures to improve mine safety and prevent such tragedies from recurring.
The mine owner, Qurban Jogezai, said the collapse was triggered by a methane gas explosion. He said 42 labourers were working inside the mine when the incident occurred and confirmed that all those trapped were residents of Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In a separate incident on the same day, a labourer was killed in a coal mine accident in Balochistan’s Harnai district, according to police.
Initial reports said the worker was carrying out his duties inside the mine when a large boulder fell on him, causing fatal injuries. He died at the scene.
Rescue teams recovered the body and shifted it to a nearby hospital to complete legal formalities.
Coal mine accidents are common in Balochistan and Sindh, often because of inadequate safety measures and poor working conditions.
Earlier this month, four labourers were killed and five others seriously injured when a wall collapsed inside a coal mine near Meting railway station in Sindh’s Thatta district.
The accident occurred at the Ibrahim Coal Mines in the Kohistani belt of Thatta.
The deceased were identified as 40-year-old Ziaullah, 51-year-old Noor Mohammad, 20-year-old Irfanullah — all residents of Swat — and 41-year-old Saindad, a resident of Sanghar district.
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