14 colliers die in Quetta mine blast

QUETTA:

At least 14 colliers died and 22 others remained trapped after a methane gas explosion caused a coal mine to collapse in the Sor Range area on the outskirts of Quetta on Thursday, prompting an intensive rescue operation that continued late into the night.

According to officials, methane gas accumulated inside the mine before triggering an explosion, causing a major section of the underground workings to cave in. A total of 36 miners were inside the mine at the time of the accident.

Rescue teams from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the Mines Department rushed to the site and launched an operation to reach the trapped workers. Chief Inspector of Mines Muhammad Atif said the miners were working at a depth of between 2,500 and 3,000 feet.

He added that the blast also damaged the alternative passage used to supply fresh air and oxygen into the mine, complicating rescue efforts. Officials said the Mines Department and PDMA rescue teams remained engaged in the operation throughout the day.

By late Thursday, the bodies of 12 miners had been recovered, while efforts were continuing to rescue the remaining 24 workers trapped inside the collapsed mine.