The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that the death toll in the coal mine collapse in Quetta’s Sanjidi area has risen to four after another body was recovered on Thursday evening.
The authority stated that eight workers remain trapped in the collapsed mine, and rescue efforts are underway to save them. The mine is located approximately 40 kilometers from Quetta.
According to the PDMA, debris has been cleared from the entry point of the affected coal mine, but the miners remain trapped at a depth of 4,000 feet. Rescue Deputy Director Asghar Jamali reported that debris has fallen to a depth of 20 to 30 feet inside the mine.
Rescue teams, including mines rescue and PDMA personnel, were immediately dispatched to the site following the incident and have been actively engaged in rescue operations. However, gas and debris in the mine are hindering the rescue efforts.
Heavy machinery is being used to clear the debris from the mine.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind stated that a thorough investigation into the incident will be conducted, and strict action will be taken against those found negligent.
Minister for Mineral Resources and Finance, Mir Shoaib Nosherwani, has taken notice of the incident and directed the Chief Inspector of Mines, Abdul Ghani Baloch, to send two additional rescue teams to the site. He has also ordered an investigation into the alleged violation of standard mining procedures.
