QUETTA – Twenty-three miners were killed Saturday when two coal minecollapsed near Quetta, chief mines inspector told.

The first accident occurred in Marwaarh, 45 kilometres east of Quetta,which is the capital of oil and gas-rich Balochistan province, due to a gasexplosion.

“The roof caved in following an explosion triggered by the accumulation ofmethane gas, killing 16 miners and wounding nine others, two of themseriously”, Jawaid Shahwani, commissioner of Quetta Division said.

There were 30 labourers inside the mine when the explosion occurred. Allthe injured miners were rescued and taken to the hospital.

“We are trying our best to recover bodies but it will take time as most ofthe bodies are buried very deep”, Shahwani said.

Later in the day, another coal mine collapsed in Sooranj area, in whichseven miners were killed. Two workers were rescued in an unconscious state,while bodies of two miners were recovered Saturday night.

The rescue operation resumed Sunday morning in which bodies of five morelabourers were recovered.

At least 20,000 labourers are employed in 2,500 mines across Balochistan,according to government sources. Fatalities in the coal-mining sector inthe country are becoming commonplace highlighting the need for betterlabour protections.