Toll in Pakistan coal mine collapse rises to 11; mining regulations not followed

Eleven workers dead in coal mine collapse due to methane gas explosion, rescue operations ongoing.

The death toll in a coal mine collapse due to a methane gas accumulation and explosion has left 11 workers dead after rescuers recovered seven more dead bodies, an official said.

Twelve workers were trapped when the coal mine collapsed in the Sanjdi area, about 40 kilometres from Quetta in the Balochistan province, on Wednesday (January 8, 2025) evening.

In three days of rescue work, 11 bodies were recovered until Saturday (January 11, 2025) night with rescue workers still searching for the last worker inside the collapsed structure, Abdullah Shawani, the head of the province's mining department, said.

“There are little chances of the last worker surviving for so long in the collapsed mine,” Shawani said.

“The incident occurred due to a buildup of gas, which caused an explosion and the mine to cave in,” Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.

He said full-scale rescue operations were ongoing but the progress was slow due to the presence of toxic gas and debris.

An investigation is on to ascertain whether proper mining regulations were followed, he said.