The number of confirmed fatalities from the Balochistan coal mine collapse has reached 34, officials confirmed Friday, after rescue crews pulled six additional bodies from the wreckage in the Sorange area. Search teams are continuing to dig through the site in hopes of locating the miners still believed to be buried underground.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said the rescue mission remains active, with crews working to reach workers who remain unaccounted for beneath the collapsed structure.
Chief Minister Orders Investigation
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has called for a comprehensive report into the disaster and cautioned that anyone found responsible for negligence or misconduct would face strict consequences. He also instructed provincial authorities to enforce mine safety regulations more rigorously across Balochistan going forward.
The tragedy drew a strong reaction from JUI-N spokesperson Abdul Sattar Chishti, who mourned the lives lost and pointed out that thousands of mineworkers have perished in comparable accidents over the years. He called on the government to adopt urgent, meaningful reforms to protect miners and stop such disasters from happening again.
Methane Explosion Blamed for Sorange Collapse
According to mine owner Qurban Jogezai, the collapse was caused by a methane gas explosion. He stated that 42 labourers were present inside the mine at the time of the blast, and that all of the trapped workers hailed from Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Second Fatal Mining Incident Reported in Harnai
Separately, another coal mine accident claimed a life the same day in Balochistan’s Harnai district, police reported. A worker was reportedly performing his duties underground when a large boulder broke loose and struck him, resulting in fatal injuries. He passed away at the scene, and rescue personnel later recovered his body and transported it to a nearby hospital for legal procedures.
A Recurring Crisis in Pakistan’s Mining Sector
Coal mine accidents remain frequent in Balochistan and Sindh, largely due to weak safety enforcement and substandard working conditions. Earlier this month, a wall collapse inside a coal mine near Meting railway station in Sindh’s Thatta district killed four labourers and left five others with serious injuries.
That incident took place at Ibrahim Coal Mines in Thatta’s Kohistani belt. The victims were identified as Ziaullah, 40, Noor Mohammad, 51, and Irfanullah, 20, all from Swat, along with Saindad, 41, a resident of Sanghar district.
As the Balochistan coal mine collapse rescue operation continues, authorities face renewed pressure to overhaul mine safety standards and prevent further loss of life in one of Pakistan’s most hazardous industries.
