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At least 34 killed in Pakistan coal mine gas blast
At least 34 miners died and over a dozen remain trapped after a methane gas explosion in the Sorange coalfield near Quetta, Balochistan, authorities said on Friday. The blast struck during a…
The Story in Brief
At least 34 miners died and over a dozen remain trapped after a methane gas explosion in the Sorange coalfield near Quetta, Balochistan, authorities said on Friday. The blast struck during a shift change about 4,000 feet underground on Thursday, damaging a neighbouring mine and trapping more than 50 workers. Rescue teams have recovered 34 bodies and pulled out 22 survivors, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said.
Chief Inspector of Mines Muhammad Atif said 22 workers were initially trapped in the mine where the explosion occurred, with the rest in the adjoining pit. Pir Muhammad Kakar of the All Pakistan Coal Miners Association blamed private mine owners for ignoring safety procedures and failing to register workers properly. Balochistan’s mines minister Shoaib Nosherwani pledged a thorough investigation and announced PKR 500,000 compensation per deceased miner.
The Indian Opinion
Every major mine disaster in Pakistan draws promises of stricter oversight, yet safety violations go unpunished. Owners who skip ventilation and gas monitoring systems continue to operate because miners have no other livelihood options in impoverished Balochistan. The real test is not the commission of inquiry but whether the government names and prosecutes any mine owner for negligence, or whether compensation reaches the families of unregistered workers who are routinely invisible on paper.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
