QUETTA: On Wednesday, while working deep below a coal mine in the Duki district of Balochistan, two men perished from breathing in toxic gas.
According to Levies officials, a gang of miners was working hundreds of feet below the surface when a deadly methane gas buildup occurred in the Duki coalfield mine.
After breathing in the toxic gas, two of the miners passed out, but the others were able to escape the mine.
Other mineworkers hurried to the scene and began a rescue effort as soon as they learned about the disaster. When they eventually arrived at the stranded miners, they discovered them dead.
According to the officials, “the bodies were moved to the district hospital where doctors confirmed their death.” The bodies were then given to the victims’ relatives. They were recognized as Lali Khan and Abdul Bari.
Methane gas is present in practically all of Balochistan’s coalfields, which results in hundreds of miner deaths annually.
Last month, a strong explosion in a coal mine in the Zardalo neighborhood of the Harnai district left 12 workers dead and six injured.
After the mine was sealed, Abdul Ghani Baloch, Chief Inspector of Mines for Balochistan, issued an order to investigate the event. Nevertheless, no report regarding the investigative committee’s conclusions has been made public as of yet.
Lala Sultan Achakzai, the president of the Pakistan Central Mines and Labour Federation, estimates that 300 mineworkers die annually, although the relevant authorities only formally reported about 25% of deaths.
He added that inadequate safety protocols in the mines, frequently resulting in terrible occurrences, were neglected by the mine owners and the relevant department.
