Four coal miners die after inhaling poisonous gas in Pakistan

In several incidents in the past, miners have died in explosions due to leakage of methane, suffocation, burns or even in incidents of roof collapse

Pakistani volunteers and mine workers shift an injured worker on a stretcher upon arrival at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan. File

Four coal miners suffocated to death on Tuesday after inhaling poisonous gas in a coal mine in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.

Balochistan’s Mines and Minerals Chief Inspector Abdul Ghani said that bodies of the deceased, who belonged to Zhob district of the province, have been retrieved after a rescue operation.

“The miners had gone into a mine in Chamalang and suffocated to death after inhaling poisonous gas," he said, adding that the incident took place in the Duki area of the province.

Coal miners face hazardous working conditions in coal mines in the province and in several incidents in the past, miners have died in explosions due to leakage of methane, suffocation, burns or even in incidents of roof collapse.

There have also been incidents where workers from other provinces have been killed in targeted attacks by terrorists.

Pakistan's Central Mines Labour Federation Secretary General Sultan Khan said that laws regarding safety for mine workers were not implemented in mines.

He said that as many as 90 people have been killed in incidents in different mines across Balochistan this year.

Six workers were found dead in March after they got trapped inside a coal mine in Bolan district when its roof collapsed.

In another incident in the same month, seven miners were killed in a blast at a coal mine in Harnai which was caused by a build-up of methane gas.