Methane explosion at Pakistan coal mine kills 18, traps dozens

A methane gas explosion at a coal mine in southwestern Pakistan on Thursday, July 30, killed at least 18 miners and left dozens more trapped underground, according to officials. The blast occurred in the Sorange area on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

Government mine inspector Ghani Baloch said the explosion was likely caused by a buildup of methane gas and damaged two adjacent mines. Rescue teams recovered bodies throughout the day, with the death toll rising as operations continued. Provincial officials confirmed that 18 miners had been found dead by late Thursday.

Rescue efforts, involving teams from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority and other emergency services, were ongoing at a depth of approximately 4,000 feet. Officials said the dangerous conditions, including depleted oxygen levels, made the search extremely challenging and diminished hopes of finding survivors. Muhammad Atif, the province's chief inspector of mines, told Reuters that 36 people were in the collapsed section of the complex at the time of the blast, with 28 still missing as of late Thursday night.

Balochistan's Mines and Minerals Minister, Shoaib Nosherwani, offered...