Despite seven hours passing by since the incident occurred, no rescue crew have arrived at the site of the accident. PHOTO: FILE
QUETTA: At least six coal miners were killed and 19 fell unconscious after a coal mine collapsed because of a gas explosion in Dukki district on Monday.
Dukki SHO Ibrar Hussain told The Express Tribune that the coal mine collapsed when miners were digging 1,700 feet deep inside it.
“Due to the presence of deadly methane gas an explosion occurred, which led to the collapsed of a portion of the mine, leaving six workers dead,” he added.
The police official said 19 unconscious workers were brought out of the mine during the rescue operation.
Poisonous gas explosion in coal mine kills four, injures one
Other mine workers began the rescue efforts on their own. However, due to lack of rescue equipment and facilities, they faced difficulty in going inside the mine filled with methane.
“Two coal miners hailing from Afghanistan tried to pull out the bodies but couldn’t make it because of the deadly gas,” the official said.
Mine workers alleged that mineral department’s officials reached the site 14 hours after the accident took place.
The department sent a mine inspector and a clerk to the spot to gather information about the dead and injured.
After 19 hours of rescue work the bodies and injured persons were shifted to a local hospital.
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