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The blast was apparently triggered by a buildup of methane gas
and occurred on the outskirts of the Baluchistan provincial
capital of Quetta, said government mine inspector Ghani Baloch.
The bodies of seven people were recovered hours after the blast,
and emergency responders later found 25 more bodies, officials
and a provincial disaster management agency said in a statement.
It said the search and rescue operation was continuing, with
rescue teams working to locate and recover the remaining trapped
miners.
Baloch said rescue operations would continue until all the
trapped miners were found, but he added that officials believed
the death toll likely would rise further.
“The chances of finding anyone alive diminish after methane gas
explosions because oxygen levels drop to zero, and rescuers are
also proceeding cautiously inside the mine,” Baloch said.
Authorities were handing over the bodies to their families for
burial, while relatives of those still trapped waited anxiously
for news, Baloch said.
Baluchistan’s Minister for Mines and Minerals Shoaib Nosherwani
said the rescue teams were working under extremely difficult
conditions.
Nosherwani expressed condolences to relatives of the victims and
said the provincial government would pay compensation of 500,000
Pakistani rupees (about $1,800) to the family of each miner
killed in the blast.
He said authorities would conduct a thorough investigation into
the cause of the explosion, and would review mining safety
measures.
A coal miners’ labor union said it suspected negligence led to
the explosion and called for action against those responsible.
In a statement, the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation
urged the government to strictly enforce safety regulations and
take tough action against companies that violate mine safety
laws.
Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan’s coal mining industry,
particularly in Baluchistan, where many mines lack adequate
ventilation, gas monitoring systems and other basic safety
measures.
Mine workers and labor groups have long accused mine owners of
failing to enforce safety regulations or provide adequate
protective equipment.
Despite the risks and low wages, thousands of miners depend on
the coal industry for their livelihoods in Baluchistan,
Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, where
unemployment and poverty remain widespread.
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Ahmed reported from Islamabad.
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