Three trapped colliers rescued after five days from Harnai mine

Coal miners were among six stuck after methane gas explosion on March 22

QUETTA:

In a miraculous incident, three colliers, who were trapped inside a coal mine in Balochistan’s Harnai district for 110 hours (nearly five days) due to a gas explosion, were rescued on Saturday evening.

A total of six coal miners had been trapped inside the mine on March 22. Three of them were recovered by fellow miners on a self-help basis after the explosion but three others were trapped deep in the mine for which the rescue service was called in which reached the spot 10 hours after the incident. They tried their best but were unable to reach the colliers.

“We rescued the three trapped miners,” Harnai Deputy Commissioner Sardar Rafique Tareen told The Express Tribune. He said the condition of one of the recovered coal miners was serious. The coal miners were being shifted to Quetta for further treatment after receiving first aid in Harnai by health professionals.

The miners were trapped 1,300 feet deep inside the mine in Zarghoon Ghar, Harnai after the methane gas blast. The rescued miners were identified as Syed Muhammad, Jameelur Rehman and Muhammad Saleem.

“The injured colliers will be brought to Quetta for medical treatment,” a People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative official informed.

Mines Labour Association Balochistan has strongly criticised the provincial government for its failure to protect the lives of hapless coal miners.

“An FIR should be lodged against the owner of the coal mine,” Sultan Muhammad Khan, the central leader of the association, said. He said the owner of the said coal mine was an influential person with political influence.

“This mine was closed two years back but the owner reopened it,” Sultan said. His claim was also endorsed by the Harnai district administration. The Harnai DC formed a committee to collect data of all coal miners and pay visits to the coal mines located in the district.

Unsafe working conditions have resulted in the loss of precious human lives over the years in Balcohsitan’s coal mines.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2022.