An explosion in a coal mine in southwest Pakistan killed at least 18 miners Thursday and trapped 24 others underground in what officials believed to be life-threatening conditions as rescuers raced to reach them. The blast apparently was triggered by a buildup of methane gas and occurred on the outskirts of the Baluchistan provincial capital of Quetta, government mine inspector Ghani Baloch said, per the AP. Baloch said rescue operations will continue until all the trapped miners were found, indicating that officials expect the death toll to rise.
"The chances of finding anyone alive diminish after methane gas explosions because oxygen levels drop to zero, and rescuers are also proceeding cautiously inside the mine," Baloch said. Baluchistan Minister for Mines and Minerals Shoaib Nosherwani said the rescue teams were working under extremely difficult conditions. He promised a thorough investigation and said the provincial government would pay compensation of about $1,800 to the family of each miner killed in the blast.
A coal miners union said it suspected negligence led to the explosion and called for action against those responsible. In a statement, the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation urged the government to strictly enforce mine safety regulations. Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan's coal mining industry, particularly in Baluchistan, where many mines lack adequate ventilation, gas monitoring systems, and other basic safety measures. Mine workers and labor groups have long accused mine owners of failing to enforce safety regulations or provide adequate protective equipment. Despite the risks and low wages, thousands of miners depend on the coal industry for their livelihoods in Baluchistan, Pakistan's least developed province, where unemployment and poverty remain widespread.
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