Explosion in Pakistan: Explosion in coal mine, 12 dead so far, what did Shahbaz Sharif say?

Twelve miners have died and eight have been rescued after an explosion at a coal mine in south-western Pakistan. Abdul Ghani Baloch, chief inspector of mines of Balochistan province, said on Wednesday morning that ‘the rescue operation has just been completed.’ He said 20 miners were inside the mine when the methane gas explosion occurred overnight. He said rescue teams have recovered 12 bodies, while the survivors have been taken to hospital.

Coal reserves are found in the western areas of Pakistan located near the Afghan border and mine accidents are common, mainly due to gas formation. Labor union officials have said in the past that mine workers have complained that a lack of safety gear and poor working conditions are the leading causes of frequent accidents. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives. Fatalities are not uncommon in Pakistan’s mines, which are known for hazardous working conditions and poor safety standards.

In May 2018, 23 people were killed and 11 injured after gas explosions at two neighboring coal mines in resource-rich Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but poorest province. In 2011, a total of 43 workers also died when another colliery in Balochistan collapsed due to a gas explosion. Lala Sultan, head of the Balochistan Coal Mines Workers Federation, said, “This incident is neither the first in Balochistan nor will it be the last.