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QUETTA: At least 15 coal miners were killed in a powerful methane gas explosion at a coal mine on Thursday, while more than two dozen others remained trapped inside the mine in the Sorange coalfield, located about 30 kilometres northeast of the provincial capital.
Officials said the blast occurred at a private coal mine in the afternoon when 24 miners were working about 4,000 feet underground. Soon after the explosion, a fire broke out inside the mine, causing parts of the structure to collapse. The blast was heard over a wide area of Sorange.
The explosion severely affected another mine located near the main site. Twelve miners working in the second mine were also trapped. “A total of 36 coal miners were present inside both mines when the blast occurred,” Chief Inspector of Mines Muhammad Atif told Dawn.
He said teams from the Mines and Minerals Department and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) launched a rescue operation after reaching Sorange. He added that 21 miners were missing until late Thursday night as the operation continued.
