QUETTA: An explosion in a coal mine in the Sanjdi area, approximately 50 kilometers from Quetta, caused the mine to collapse on Thursday, trapping twelve miners inside, according to officials. Rescue operations are underway as authorities work to pull the miners out safely.
Chief Mines Officer Abdul Ghani Baloch said a gas explosion caused the collapse. “Efforts are being made to pull all the miners out alive,” Baloch told Dawn NEWS. After three hours, he provided an update that no miners had been rescued yet, but teams were continuing their efforts.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind admitted the incident that was reported related to twelve workers trapped. “Rescue teams have reached the site and are working to extricate the miners,” stated Rind.
Balochistan’s Minister for Mining and Minerals Mir Shoaib Noshirwani has instructed additional rescue teams to join in the collection. He then warned that people would be brought to justice in case standards of safety had been compromised. “If prevailing mining procedures were violated, legal action should be taken against the mine owner,” Noshirwani said, emphasizing the need for strict enforcement of safety regulations to protect workers.
In Pakistan, coal mine accidents have become normal occurrences as a result of gas build-up, lack of safety measures, and poor working conditions. Labour unions also pointed out the poor safety measures that had been laid down in the industry.
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