Pakistan: Four coal miners die after inhaling poisonous methane gas in Balochistan

Quetta, Oct 19 (IANS) Four coal miners were killed in two separate incidents in Duki and Chamalang areas of Pakistan's Balochistan due to the presence of methane gas, local media reported on Sunday.

According to the police, the victims, identified as residents of Afghanistan, were working in coal mines in Duki and Chamalang when the accidents happened on Saturday, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported.

Chief Inspector of Mines Balochistan, Syed Rafiullah, said the manager of the Chamalang mine, where two miners were killed, was already facing a court case for not implementing proper safety measures.

He further said that another coal mine in Duki was previously shut by the Mines Inspectorate after an earlier accident, in which several people lost their lives due to similar negligence.

Earlier in September, an Afghan coal miner died after he inhaled poisonous gas while working in a private coal mine in the Shahrag area of Harnai district of Balochistan, according to officials.

As per the officials, poisonous methane gas accumulated in the mine. Other miner workers moved out of the mine; however, one worker, identified as Abdullah, fell unconscious while working deep inside the mine.

Fellow mine workers tried to rescue their trapped colleague but were unable to bring him out due to the large quantity of methane gas. The body was later taken to the hospital in Shahrag, where medico-legal procedures were conducted before handing over the body to the family.

Earlier in July, three coal miners were killed, while one was rescued after they were trapped in a mine due to mudsliding in Duki district, according to officials, Dawn reported.

Chief mines inspector Abdul Ghani Baloch said that four miners working in a private mine were trapped after a mudslide hit. Following the incident, workers from the Mines Rescue Department arrived at the site and managed to save one miner, while three other miners could not be saved. Eventually, rescue workers recovered their bodies after 16 hours.

--IANS

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