Death toll rises to 13 in Sinjidi coal mine incident, as rescuers also die of suffocation inside the mine.
According to the details received by The Balochistan Post, rescuers had recovered eight dead bodies of miners trapped inside the collapsed mine until late night, at Sinjidi Quetta.
As per the latest information, many of the rescuers who went inside the collapsed mine have not returned. Sources confirmed that five of the rescuers have also died inside the mine due to suffocation.
So far the death toll has reached 13. Out of which, at least 7 miners belong to same town of Dir district in Khyber Pakhtunkhua province.
According to the local administration, dead bodies of the miners have been sent to their native villages, and the rescue operation has been stopped for the time being.
Chief mines inspector Iftekhar Ahmed told the media that the rescue operation had been stopped due to the lack of trained rescuers. He also confirmed that five rescuers have lost their lives in order to save others.
According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation (PCMLF), between 100 and 200 labors die on average in coal mine accidents every year.
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.