Coal Mine Explosion in Quetta’s Sorange Leaves 12 Dead; Search Continues for 30 Trapped Miners

Quetta: At least 12 miners have been confirmed dead following a methane gas explosion at a coal mine in the Sorange area on the outskirts of Quetta, while rescue teams continue efforts to locate and recover 30 workers believed to be trapped underground.

According to officials from the Mines Department and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the explosion occurred on Thursday afternoon after methane gas accumulated inside a local coal mine. Rescue teams from the PDMA, Mines Rescue Service, and other emergency agencies rushed to the site and immediately launched a rescue operation.

The owner of the mine said that 42 miners were working underground when the explosion occurred, trapping them inside the mine. Authorities said 12 bodies have so far been recovered, while search and rescue efforts for the remaining workers are continuing.

PDMA officials said the operation is being hampered by the continuous release of methane gas and the lack of specialized rescue equipment, making it difficult for teams to safely reach those still trapped.

Balochistan Minister for Mines and Minerals, Mir Shoaib Nosherwani, said rescue operations began immediately after the incident in the Spin Karez area. On the directives of Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, the Chief Inspector of Mines and PDMA officials reached the site, where all relevant departments are jointly carrying out rescue efforts.

The minister said work is underway to remove debris and improve ventilation inside the mine to reach the trapped workers as quickly as possible. He added that the Balochistan government is closely monitoring the operation and has mobilized all available resources to support the rescue mission.

He further assured that every possible assistance would be provided to the affected miners’ families and said the provincial government would strengthen mine safety measures to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.