Explosion at mine in Harnai — at least 12 killed
Eight miners rescued after the explosion in Harnai; mining inspector Abdul Rashid says the cause is still being determined.
A powerful explosion at a coal mine in Harnai, a district in Balochistan province in Pakistan, killed at least 12 workers last night, authorities reported.
Eight miners were pulled out alive from the scene of the accident, and the bodies of the dead were found after the collapse, said mining inspector Abdul Rashid. He added that an investigation is underway and that the cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.
Repeated safety warnings
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed regret over the tragedy. The accident has prompted questions about the long-standing safety problems in the mining industry, where inspectors and activists often warn that basic standards are not followed.
Miners and labor rights advocates say that owners often do not provide adequate protective equipment and ventilation, which contributes to fatal accidents and explosions from methane or other gases. Similar incidents claim lives in the country every year.
Despite the dangerous conditions and low wages, hundreds of miners work in Balochistan, where unemployment is higher than in other parts of Pakistan. Authorities said the investigation into the Harnai explosion will determine the technical cause as well as any regulatory or safety failures.
Separately, authorities reported that four miners were killed in a methane explosion at another coal mine in southwestern Pakistan, further illustrating the breadth of the risks in the sector.
Photo: Archive
