A gas explosion trapped 14 labourers in a coal mine in Balochistan, western Pakistan, on August 12. The bodies of seven were brought to the surface on August 13, and local media said the Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority was attempting to retrieve the remaining seven miners from the mine in Sanjadi. There was no news about their chances of survival.
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Poor working conditions inside coal mines in Balochistan claim the lives of miners on an almost daily basis. According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, between 100 and 200 labourers die on average in coal mine accidents every year.
At least 23 miners were killed and several injured on the same day in May after two separate coal mine incidents in the province.
A total of 16 person were trapped after a gas explosion in Pir Ismail, Marwar (45 km from Quetta) at around noon. Their bodies were later recovered after a rescue operation.
In a similar incident, seven were killed and two injured due to gas inhalation at the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) mine in Quetta.
