Two workers killed in coal mine collapse in Harnai

Harnai: In another mining accident in Balochistan, two miners died after a coal mine collapsed in Khost area of ​​Harnai district, while six other trapped workers were rescued.

According to a media report, the tragedy occurred when excavation was underway to extract one more body after 11 more bodies were recovered from the Sanjadi mine on the outskirts of Quetta.

A total of 12 coal miners were trapped about 4,000 feet deep inside the Sanjadi mine after a powerful methane gas explosion on January 9. Of the 11 victims, 10 were from the Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one was from Swat.

In the latest incident, a coal mine located in Khost coalfield of Harnai district cracked and a part of the mine collapsed while eight workers were still inside.

All the miners were trapped in the incident, but six of them were rescued sometime later.

Two miners, Zahid and Islah, who were working deep inside the mine, could not be rescued, but their bodies were recovered after 12 hours of continuous efforts.

The Mines and Minerals Department has ordered an investigation into the incident, closing the mine in Khost.

Leaders of the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation have condemned the killings of the miners.

“We want the ratification of the Safety Standard and ILO-C 176, as well as awareness-raising programs for the safety of miners,” they said.

They condemned the government’s failure to enforce safety regulations, as no official had visited the site. They said the repeated tragedies underscored the urgent need for reforms to protect the lives of coal miners.