Toll in Pakistan coal mine collapse rises to 11

In three days of rescue work, 11 bodies were recovered by Saturday night, with rescue workers still searching for the last worker inside the collapsed structure.

The death toll in a coal mine collapse due to methane gas accumulation and explosion has risen to 11, after rescuers recovered seven more bodies. Twelve workers were trapped when the coal mine collapsed in the Sanjdi area, about 40 kilometres from Quetta in the Balochistan province, on Wednesday evening.

In three days of rescue work, 11 bodies were recovered by Saturday night, with rescue workers still searching for the last worker inside the collapsed structure. Abdullah Shawani, the head of the province’s mining department, stated, “There are little chances of the last worker surviving for so long in the collapsed mine.”

The incident occurred due to a buildup of gas, which caused an explosion and led to the mine caving in, according to Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind. He added that full-scale rescue operations were ongoing, but progress was slow due to the presence of toxic gas and debris. An investigation is underway to determine whether proper mining regulations were followed.

Pir Muhammad Kakar, a leader of the mines workers association, blamed the incident on the non-implementation of mining regulations by the owner of the coal mines and accused officials at the mines department of negligence. Kakar demanded strict action against these officials.

Coal mine collapses and worker deaths are frequent in the coal-rich western Balochistan, which is known for hazardous working conditions and poor safety standards. In March last year, at least 12 miners were killed in a gas explosion at a coal pit in Harnai. In May 2018, 23 people were killed and 11 wounded after two neighbouring coal mines collapsed in Sanjdi, and in 2011, 43 workers died when gas explosions triggered a collapse in another Balochistan colliery.