Deaths 34 as rescuers search for missing colliers at Quetta coalmine

A blast at a coalmine killed at least 34 workers in Balochistan’s Spin Karez area near Quetta, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Friday, adding rescuers were searching for more missing miners.

"According to information received from the deployed teams, 34x Dead bodies have been recovered," the PDMA said in a statement.

The explosion, caused by methane gas, tore through the mine near Quetta on Thursday, sparking a rescue operation that ran into the night.

"The joint rescue operation is still underway to locate and recover the remaining trapped miners," the PDMA added, without specifying how many were in the mine when the explosion took place.

However, reports said more than 42 miners were working inside the private coalmine when an explosion triggered a collapse. Three workers were safely evacuated on Thursday.

According to the PDMA, 42 miners were trapped due to a gas explosion in the Soranje coalmine. The Balochistan government has announced a compensation of Rs5 lakh each for the families of the deceased mine workers.

Rescue teams were continuing efforts to reach the remaining miners believed to be trapped beneath debris and inside gas-filled sections of the mine.

Pakistan coal mine explosion kills at least 32 miners
Accidents are common in Pakistan’s coal mining industry, particularly in Balochistan, where many mines lack basic safety measures. pic.twitter.com/5GNNjw0ek4

— Shakeel Yasar Ullah (@yasarullah) July 31, 2026

Balochistan Minister for Mines and Minerals Mir Shoaib Nosherwani said all available resources were being used in the rescue operation. He said relevant departments and emergency agencies were jointly working at the site to clear debris, improve ventilation and reach the trapped workers.

Officials said toxic gases, unstable underground passages and accumulated debris were complicating the rescue operation.

Nosherwani said Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti had directed the chief inspector of mines and senior PDMA officials to reach the site and supervise the operation.

He added that the provincial government was continuously monitoring the rescue effort and had placed personnel, machinery and other emergency resources at the disposal of the teams working underground.

Labour leader Pir Muhammad Kakar earlier said around 42 workers were working inside the mine at the time of the explosion.

Families of the miners gathered near the site and waited for updates as rescue workers continued the operation.

Witnesses said that after hearing the blast, an unknown number of miners in the area rushed to try to reach workers inside.

"Other miners descended into the mine after the explosion for a rescue operation, but they also died," Ahmed Zada, a mine worker at the site, told AFP.

Relatives, rescuers, and miners gathered at the mine entrance in Sorange, around 50 kilometres from Quetta, as the rescue operations were carried out.

Rescuers and workers, some wearing hard hats but most in everyday attire, helped carry bodies out of the concrete tunnel, some covered in black soot.

They ferried them on stretchers to waiting vehicles and ambulances near the entrance to the mine.

Mining accidents are common in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, and labour rights movements have previously called for ramped-up safety standards and enforcement for the sector.

Pakistan's poorest province and largest by landmass, Balochistan lags behind the rest of the country in almost every index, including education, employment and economic development, but is rich in resources including coal -- as well as more lucrative gold and copper reserves.

President, PM express deep grief

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in a coalmine explosion in the Sorange area of Quetta, where several workers were killed.

In separate statements, the president and the prime minister directed the relevant authorities to rescue all workers trapped in the mine and ensure the provision of the best possible medical treatment to the injured.

They extended their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the elevation of the ranks of those who lost their lives in the incident. They also prayed for grant of strength to the bereaved families to bear the loss with patience.

They emphasized the need for strict implementation of safety measures in coal mines to protect the lives of workers and prevent such tragic incidents in the future.

President Asif Ali Zardari said the contribution of workers to the country’s development was invaluable and that ensuring their safety was a shared responsibility of the state.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and other relevant departments to continue rescue operations in an effective and expeditious manner until all affected workers had been rescued and provided with the necessary relief.

He said the country’s workers were a valuable national asset and stressed the need for permanent safety measures to safeguard the lives of coalmine workers.

Reporters Essa Tareen and Awais Kiyani/Agencies