QUETTA — A methane gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in the Spin Karez area on the outskirts of Quetta early Tuesday, killing at least two workers and leaving others trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescue teams are currently struggling to reach the victims. The blast occurred deep underground, causing a partial collapse of the mine shaft that has blocked access points. Officials on the ground report that the structural instability of the site is hampering efforts to locate the missing men.
“We have recovered two bodies so far,” a senior official from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) told reporters. “Our teams are working to clear the debris, but the high concentration of gas is making it dangerous for rescuers to move further down.”
Exact numbers remain unclear. While initial reports suggest several miners are still trapped, local mining unions claim the count could be higher. Families of the workers have gathered at the mine entrance, waiting for news in a scene that has become all too familiar in Balochistan’s hazardous mining sector.
Safety standards in the province’s coal mines are notoriously poor. Miners frequently work in deep, poorly ventilated tunnels without adequate emergency equipment or methane detection sensors. Despite repeated government promises to overhaul safety regulations following past disasters, the industry remains largely unregulated.
The provincial government has ordered an immediate investigation into the blast, though critics argue that such inquiries rarely lead to accountability for mine owners.
For now, the focus remains on the narrow, unstable tunnel where the remaining miners were last seen. With oxygen levels dropping and the risk of further collapses, the window for a successful rescue is closing rapidly.
