Four miners inhaled poisonous gas and suffocated to death in a coal mine in Balochistan’s Duki area on Tuesday, Provincial Mines and Minerals Chief Inspector Abdul Ghani said.
The workers had entered the mine in Chamalang in the afternoon, but their bodies had been retrieved from the mine in a rescue operation after they passed away, he added.
The bodies were transferred to a nearby hospital and will be handed over to the relatives of the deceased after completing formalities, Ghani said. All four miners hailed from Balochistan’s Zhob district, the official further said.
Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation Secretary-General Sultan Khan told Dawn that fatal incidents were increasing because of a lack of implementation of laws related to mines.
As many as 90 people have been killed in incidents in different mines across Balochistan this year, he added.
In April, eight Duki miners suffered serious burn injuries were working deep inside their mine when an explosion took place in the area of Balochistan.
Mines Inspector Sabir Shah at the time said the incident took place in a coal mine owned by a private company a portion of which collapsed due to the explosion, causing the release of methane gas.
After the blast, eight miners were trapped deep inside the mine, he said. However, all miners were subsequently rescued and taken to the district hospital in Duki, he added.
At least 11 coal miners belonging to the minority Shia Hazara community were killed in the Mach town of Balochistan’s Bolan district in early January after militants abducted them and took them to nearby hills before opening fire at close range, Quetta deputy commissioner confirmed at the time.
