Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced on Saturday that 10 residents of his province were among 12 miners who lost their lives when a coal mine collapsed in the Sanjidi area of Balochistan.
The incident occurred on Thursday after a methane gas explosion that caused the mine to collapse and trapped 12 miners inside.
Rescue teams from Balochistan Minerals Department and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) recovered the bodies of four miners on Friday after hours of efforts.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Chief Minister Gandapur expressed his condolences and stated that 10 of the deceased miners were from Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “We share the pain of the grieving families,” he added.
Balochistan Chief Inspector of Mines Abdul Ghani said Friday that workers were mining coal at a depth of 4,000 feet when the explosion occurred. The explosion caused the entire mine to collapse.
He further mentioned that the Department of Minerals would carry out a full investigation to ascertain the safety measures taken by the mine owners.
Balochistan’s mines, which are controlled by private companies through leasing agreements with the government, are known for their dangerous working conditions and poor safety standards, making fatal accidents all too common.
According to the Balochistan Minerals Department, 46 mining accidents took place last year, claiming the lives of 82 miners.
Balochistan is rich in coal reserves, with large deposits in areas such as Mach, Hernai and Chamalang. However, the use of outdated mining methods has contributed to frequent accidents in the region.
Last March, a gas explosion at a coal mine in the Khost area of Hernai killed 12 workers.
In 2021, three serious accidents in Marwar, Hernai and other areas of Balochistan led to the death of 22 workers.
Similarly, in 2020, more than 100 miners lost their lives in such accidents, with 52 of those deaths occurring in Duki district.
