34 killed in coal mine explosion in southwestern Pakistan

Islamabad, July 31 (KUNA) -- Pakistani authorities announced on Friday that at least 34 people were killed in a coal mine explosion in the Balochistan province in the southwestern part of the country. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority said in a statement that the victims died as a result of a methane gas explosion inside the coal mine located in the Sur Range area, on the outskirts of Quetta city, which also caused a large part of the mine to collapse. It added that rescue teams continued their efforts to reach the workers trapped underground, with estimates indicating that about 41 workers were inside the mine at a depth of approximately 2,500 to 3,000 feet at the time of the explosion. For his part, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep regret over the deaths of the workers in the coal mine accident, noting that he had directed the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority and other relevant authorities to continue rescue operations effectively and swiftly, and had instructed the authorities to ensure the necessary arrangements were made to rescue all the injured and provide them with medical treatment. (End) S.B.K. / T.M.A.