Second blast in Balochistan mine this week leaves seven dead

• Mines' Chief Inspector says explosion took place in mine due to the filling of carbon monoxide gas.
• Four days back, an explosion in a coal mine in Balochistan claimed the lives of six miners.
• Investigation and registration of case against mine owner and contractor ordered.

Seven miners were killed Tuesday when a coal mine collapsed due to a blast in Balochistan Harnai District — the second incident in the province this week.

Chief Inspector of Mines Shafqat Fayyaz said a build-up of methane gas in the mine caused an explosion as the workers were still inside.

The rescue teams initiated an operation and recovered the bodies of all the miners. The minerals secretary ordered an investigation into the incident and registration of a case against the mine manager and the contractor for negligence.

Four days back, eight miners were trapped around 1,000 feet below ground in a mine in the district of Marwar, near the border with Afghanistan, when a buildup of methane gas led to an explosion. Six workers were killed, while two others were rescued.

Sparsely populated and impoverished Balochistan is home to large deposits of coal, natural gas, copper and gold, many of which are being extracted by Chinese-backed operations. Separatist militants often target workers and security forces.

In the past year, 102 coal miners have been killed in Balochistan in 72 different incidents, according to Sultan Muhammad Lala, president of the Balochistan Coal Mines Workers Federation.

Lacking proper safety measures in the mines, workers have repeatedly been killed in explosions caused by the accumulation of methane gas. At least 27 workers died in two separate incidents in Balochistan in 2018, and 45 were killed in an explosion at a coal mine in 2011 in the province.

— Additional input from Reuters