A poisonous gas leak inside a coal mine in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province on Friday killed at least six workers with five others being hospitalised, officials said.
Rescue officials said the workers died after the mine was filled with gas.
“There were 11 workers thousands of feet down in the mine when the poisonous gas trapped them inside. Other coal miners called rescue workers and also did their best to rescue their co-workers but six died due to the gas,” an official said.
He said five others were rescued and moved to Shahrag's basic health unit.
Dr Muhammad Akbar, the official at the health unit, confirmed they had received six bodies.
The hospital administration handed over the dead bodies of the coal miners to their heirs after the completion of necessary official procedures.
The incident is not the first of its kind in the province which is rich in natural resources but where safety conditions for workers remain unchecked and unsupervised.
Peer Muhammad Kakar, the central leader of the Pakistan mines association, said that despite their reminders to the government departments and authorities concerned, workers continue to work in hazardous conditions inside coal mines.
“Such incidents have claimed hundreds of lives in the last few years but nobody cares These are death holes, not mines,” he said.
“The mine owners and contractors have good links with the government and authorities and whenever such incidents happen no action is ever taken against them for negligence. Some compensation is paid to the heirs of the victims and everyone forgets about it,” he added.
Coal mine workers in the province have also fallen prey to militant attacks.
Just last week, four coal miners were killed and three others injured when unidentified armed assailants attacked them at a mine in the Khost area of the Harnai district.
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