Karachi: At least six miners have been killed and 13 others were trapped after a methane gas explosion in a coal mine in southwestern Pakistan’s Balochistan province, officials said on Monday.
The explosion took place on Sunday evening in the mine situated in Sanjadi area, about 50 kilometres east of the provincial capital, Quetta. Rescue workers have so far recovered the bodies of six miners while efforts are on to rescue those trapped inside the coal mine, the Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.
According to Deputy Commissioner Quetta, Capt (retd) Tahir Zafar Abbasi, at least 13 miners were still trapped after the underground methane gas explosion. “According to our estimates, at least 13 miners are still trapped in a 4,000 feet deep pit inside the coal mine,” Abbasi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.
Senior officials, including Balochistan’s Chief Inspector of Mines, have also reached the site to monitor the rescue efforts, which has slowed down due to lack of electricity in the area, the report said. (PTI)
