Quetta coal mine blast kills 15, over a dozen still trapped in Balochistan

A methane gas explosion tore through Quetta's Sorange coalfield, killing miners and trapping others underground. The disaster has renewed scrutiny of chronic safety lapses in Balochistan's coal mines.Image used for representational purposes onlyAt least 15 miners were killed and more than a dozen remained trapped after a methane gas explosion in a coalfield near Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, an official said on Friday. The blast took place on Thursday in the Sorange coalfield during a shift change, damaging a neighbouring mine as well and trapping 36 workers.Chief Inspector of Mines Muhammad Atif said rescue teams had "recovered 15 bodies and rescued 16 of the trapped workers until this morning". He added, "As per the shift schedule and other information that we have, at least 20 workers were still inside the main collapsed mine and the neighbouring mine," saying that 22 workers were initially trapped in the mine where the explosion took place, while the rest were trapped in the neighbouring mine.The miners were about 4,000 feet underground when the explosion and the fire that followed hit the site. The blast caused structural collapses, killing several workers instantly and leaving others trapped under burning debris. Pir Muhammad Kakar of the All Pakistan Coal Miners Association said a lethal build-up of methane gas triggered the underground explosion during Thursday's shift change. "When such explosions happen so deep underground, the chance of survival is low because they usually damage the entrance and exit points," Kakar said.Kakar also said that in many cases private mine owners do not follow the required safety procedures and do not properly register workers, many of whom come from other provinces and even Afghanistan to earn their livelihood. Balochistan's Minister for Mines and Minerals Shoaib Nosherwani said rescue teams were working under extremely difficult conditions and pledged that the provincial government would make every effort in the continuing rescue operation. He also said the government would provide PKR 500,000 to the family of each miner killed in the incident and PKR 300,000 to each injured worker. On Thursday, Nosherwani said authorities would conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion and review mining safety measures to help prevent similar accidents. In a statement, the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation urged the government to strictly enforce safety regulations and take tough action against companies that violate mine safety laws.Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan's coal mining industry, particularly in Balochistan, where many mines lack adequate ventilation, gas monitoring systems and other basic safety measures. Mine workers and labour groups have long accused mine owners of failing to enforce safety regulations or provide adequate protective equipment. Even so, thousands of miners depend on the coal industry for their livelihoods in Balochistan, where poverty and unemployment remain widespread, as rescue efforts continued after the Sorange blast. With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 31, 2026 12:06 IST