52 miners feared dead in Pakistan

Officials fear all 52 men underground at the time of the methane explosions in the Baluchistan mine are dead All 52 miners caught underground during a series of explosions at a coalmine in south-western Pakistan are feared dead, mine officials said. Rescue workers have recovered 24 bodies after using their bare hands and shovels to dig through one of the mine’s three wings, said Iftikhar Ahmed, a top mine inspector. The search was hampered by the presence of poisonous methane gas, which caused the explosions on Sunday at the mine in Baluchistan province, 25 miles east of the provincial capital, Quetta. The fragile state of the coalmine also prevented the use of heavy machinery, Ahmed said. “We have yet to dig out and search the remaining two wings, but there is 0% chance we can get anybody alive,” said Ahmed. Ten of the dead miners found were charred from the explosion, while the others appeared to have been killed by falling debris or suffocation, said Ahmed. The bodies found so far were at a depth of about 2,000ft (600 metres), but the mine continues down to 4,000ft. The mine was declared dangerous two weeks ago, but the warning was ignored, said Ahmed. The mine is owned by the state-run Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation but leased to a contractor, he said. Ghulam Rasool, a 25-year-old miner who spent all morning searching for victims, said the work was exhausting and hampered by gas fumes. “The mine’s wooden support has collapsed at many points, leaving huge chunks of debris blocking the way,” said Rasool. More than 200 people stood outside the mine entrance waiting to help or hear news from the search. Most were mine workers who have friends or relatives trapped in the mine. Seven of the dead were from a single family from the Swat valley. Ghulam Mohammad, a 30-year-old miner who was waiting his turn to join the search, said he feared for the lives of his room-mates. “None of my five room-mates has been found dead or alive yet,” he said. Outside the mine, more than 20 wooden caskets were set out on the ground, waiting for victims who had not yet surfaced. Pakistan guardian.co.uk

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