Quetta: 2 more dead bodies, trapped in a coal mine that caved in following a methane gas explosion on Sunday, have been recovered.
According to The Balochistan Post correspondent, the rescue work was resumed this morning and two bodies were recovered from the mine in Sinjidi, Quetta. Five bodies of miners who died in the explosion are still trapped inside the mine.
The miners were working in a 400-foot-deep mine in Sanjadi area, about 50 kilometres east of the provincial capital Quetta, when the explosion happened on Sunday.
The Chief Mines Inspector of Balochistan, Iftikhar Ahmed, confirmed to the media that 17 miners and rescuers lost their lives in the incident, however, only 12 bodies have been recovered so far.
Earlier, the rescue operation was temporarily stopped after multiple rescuers also lost their lives due to methane gas exposure. Iftekhar Ahmed had said that the operation was stopped due to the lack of trained rescuers.
According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation (PCMLF), between 100 and 200 labors die on average in coal mine accidents every year.
In June a mine explosion in the Sanjdi area claimed the life of four miners.
Similarly, in May two mine explosions in Pir Ismail and Marwarh areas near Quetta killed 23 workers and injured dozens.
Many international organisations working for worker rights have strongly condemned Pakistan for the complete absence of an effective occupational health and safety policy in the country, which has resulted in the deaths of a large number of workers in industries, particularly in coal mines.
Labour bodies have also demanded immediate suspension of coal mine leases to stop further losses. In a statement after Sunday’s accident, The National Labour Council (NLC) and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) demanded the government to immediately cancel leases of all coal mines as mine employers have failed to provide occupational safety and health facilities to workers.