34 Dead After Coal Mine Explosion in Southern Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan — At least 34 workers were killed after a methane gas explosion tore through a coal mine in southern Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Thursday, according to the provincial disaster management authority.

The blast occurred near the provincial capital Quetta, sparking a rescue operation that continued through the night. Early Friday, officials confirmed 34 bodies had been recovered, with the joint rescue operation still underway to locate remaining trapped miners. It was not immediately clear how many workers were inside at the time of the explosion.

Witnesses said other miners rushed underground after the blast in an attempt to rescue their colleagues, but they also died. “Other miners descended into the mine after the explosion for a rescue operation, but they also died,” Ahmed Zada, a mine worker at the site, told AFP.

Relatives, rescuers, and workers gathered at the mine entrance in Sorange, around 50 kilometers from Quetta, as rescue operations continued. Workers carried bodies out of the concrete tunnel on stretchers to waiting vehicles and ambulances.

Mining accidents are common in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, and labor rights groups have long called for improved safety standards and enforcement. Balochistan, Pakistan’s poorest province, is rich in coal, gold, and copper reserves but lags behind the rest of the country in education, employment, and economic development.

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