Dozens feared killed after coal mine blasts in western Pakistan

[News_Editor]

Dozens feared killed after coal mine blasts in western Pakistan

2011-03-20 20:47:24 GMT+7 (ICT)

QUETTA, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Dozens of miners are feared to have been killed after three large gas explosions at a coal mine in western Pakistan on Sunday morning, officials said.

The three explosions happened at around 2 a.m. local time at a coal mine in Surran range, east of the city of Quetta. The mine is run by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC), which is run by the Pakistani government.

As of late Sunday afternoon, officials said at least seven bodies had been recovered from the mine, which partly collapsed because of the explosions. However, fears are that dozens of miners are still missing.

According to local officials, more than 50 miners could still be trapped inside the mine, and chances of their survival are believed to be slim. There was no sign of life more than 17 hours later.

It is believed that an accumulation of methane gas led to the explosions.

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