In the coal mines of Zaradalu area in the district of Harnai, Balochistan, a blast occurred last night resulting in ten coal miners being trapped inside the coal mine and later, eight more miners were trapped during the rescuing process of the already trapped ones.
Chief Mines Inspector Abdul Ghani reported that a gas explosion occurred in a local coal mine of a coal company in the Zaradalu area of Harnai, resulting in ten coal miners being trapped inside the coal mine. To rescue the trapped miners, eight more miners went inside. However, they also got trapped inside the mine.
After ten hours of the incident, the bodies of 12 miners were retrieved, while the rest were rescued alive.
Authorities have not provided any details regarding the causes of the incident so far.
Last year, in the coal mines of Balochistan, 51 accidents occurred, resulting in 69 miners losing their lives and 29 being injured.
According to officials of the Mines Department, most of the accidents in the coal mines of Mach, Duki, Shahrag, Chamalang, and Quetta in Balochistan, were caused by explosions due to the accumulation of methane gas.
In 2022, more than 70 miners lost their lives in 55 accidents in the coal mines of Balochistan.
Underground mining in Balochistan is mainly done through the room-and-pillar methods, which are the most dangerous methods of mining, and their use has been discontinued worldwide.
Advocates for workers and researchers have often emphasized the need to implement modern mining techniques and provide personal protective equipment for miners, including masks, goggles, oxygen cylinders, and gas detection devices, to ensure their safety.