People gather as rescue workers attempt to reach miners trapped in a coal mine on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, in southwest Pakistan. (Photo: AP)
An explosion inside a coal mine in southwest Pakistan has killed at least 34 miners and trapped 10 others underground in what officials believe are life-threatening conditions, as rescuers work to reach them, according to AP.
The explosion on Thursday appears to have been triggered by a build-up of methane gas, and occurred on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, according to government mine inspector Ghani Baloch.
How many people have been found so far?
The bodies of seven people were recovered hours after the blast, with emergency responders later finding 25 more, officials and a provincial disaster management agency said in a statement cited by AP.
A man comforts a miner mourning fellow miners killed in an explosion at a coal mine on the outskirts of Quetta, in southwest Pakistan. (Photo: AP)
The search and rescue operation is continuing, with teams working to locate and recover the remaining trapped miners.
Baloch said operations would continue until all trapped miners were found, but added that officials expect the death toll to rise further. He said, “chances of finding anyone alive diminish after methane gas explosions,” since oxygen levels drop sharply and rescuers must move cautiously inside the mine.
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How is the government responding?
Authorities have been handing over recovered bodies to families for burial, while relatives of those still trapped wait for news, Baloch said. Baluchistan’s Minister for Mines and Minerals, Shoaib Nosherwani, said rescue teams were working under extremely difficult conditions, and offered condolences to victims’ families.
Rescue workers search through the rubble at the site where a roof collapsed on a house in Lahore, Pakistan. (Photo: AP)
He said the provincial government would pay compensation of 500,000 Pakistani rupees (around $1,800) to the family of each miner killed, and that authorities would investigate the cause of the blast and review mine safety measures.
A coal miners’ union, the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, said it suspected negligence led to the explosion and called for action against those responsible, urging the government to strictly enforce safety rules and take tough action against companies that violate mine safety laws.
Ambulances carry the coffins of victims killed in a roof collapse in Lahore, Pakistan. (Photo: AP)
Deadly accidents remain common in Pakistan’s coal mining industry, particularly in Baluchistan, where many mines lack adequate ventilation, gas monitoring systems and other basic safety measures, AP reported.
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Mine workers and labour groups have long accused mine owners of failing to enforce safety rules or provide proper protective equipment. Despite the risks and low pay, thousands of miners depend on the coal industry for their livelihoods in Baluchistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, where unemployment and poverty remain widespread.
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People gather as rescue workers attempt to reach miners trapped in a coal mine on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, in southwest Pakistan. (Photo: AP) 
