Thirty-four miners were killed in a methane explosion at a coal mine in southwestern Pakistan, authorities announced today.
Rescuers have recovered 32 bodies from the mine on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, and were working to retrieve the remaining two, according to the provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Mine inspector Gani Baloch stated that authorities initially believed there were 42 people in the mine when the explosion occurred yesterday.
Provincial Minister for Mines and Mineral Resources Shoaib Nosherwani expressed condolences to the families of the victims and announced compensation payments of 500,000 Pakistani rupees, or about 1,000 dollars, to the family of each victim.
He said that authorities would investigate the cause of the explosion and review safety measures in coal mines across the province.
Fatal accidents are common in Pakistani mines, especially in Balochistan, where many lack adequate ventilation and gas monitoring systems, as well as other safety measures.
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