- Methane Blast Triggers Overnight Rescue Operation Near Quetta as Search Continues for Trapped Workers
QUETTA, Pakistan: At least 34 coal miners have died in a devastating explosion at a coal mine near Quetta, Balochistan, provincial authorities said Friday, as rescuers continued a desperate search for workers feared to remain trapped underground.
The explosion, believed to have been caused by methane gas, ripped through the mine in Sorange, approximately 50 kilometers from Quetta, on Thursday, triggering an extensive rescue operation that continued throughout the night.
34 Bodies Recovered as Rescue Efforts Continue
The Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said in an early Friday statement that rescue teams had recovered 34 bodies from the mine.
“According to information received from the deployed teams, 34 … bodies have been recovered,” the authority said, adding that the joint rescue operation remained underway to locate and recover any miners still trapped underground.
Officials did not immediately provide details on the total number of workers inside the mine when the explosion occurred.
Fellow Miners Among Those Killed
The scale of the tragedy deepened when fellow miners reportedly entered the mine in an attempt to rescue their colleagues following the blast.
Ahmed Zada, a miner working at the site, told AFP that several workers descended into the mine after the explosion to assist in the rescue operation but were also killed.
The incident has left families and fellow workers devastated as rescue teams continued working under extremely difficult conditions.
Families Await News as Bodies Recovered
Relatives, miners and rescue workers gathered outside the mine in Sorange as emergency teams worked to recover the victims.
Rescuers and workers, some wearing protective helmets while others were dressed in ordinary clothing, carried bodies from the concrete tunnels. Several victims were covered in soot after being exposed to the blast and conditions underground.
The recovered bodies were placed on stretchers and transported to waiting ambulances and other vehicles near the mine entrance.
Renewed Concerns Over Mine Safety
The disaster has once again highlighted long-standing concerns over mine safety standards and enforcement in Pakistan, where mining accidents are particularly frequent in Balochistan.
Workers’ rights groups have repeatedly called for stronger safety regulations, improved working conditions, proper protective equipment and stricter enforcement of safety standards across the mining industry.
Balochistan’s Resource Wealth, Persistent Poverty
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by land area but remains the country’s most economically disadvantaged region, lagging behind other provinces in several key indicators, including education, employment and economic development.
Despite its economic challenges, the province is exceptionally rich in natural resources, including coal as well as significant deposits of gold and copper.
The latest mine disaster has renewed calls for greater protection of workers and stronger accountability for safety standards in an industry that remains vital to the livelihoods of thousands of families across the province.
BY: The Times Union
