Coal mine blast in Pakistan kills at least 32 miners, traps 10 others
A methane gas explosion at a coal mine near Quetta, Pakistan, has resulted in at least 32 deaths, with rescue operations underway for 10 trapped miners. Officials have expressed concerns that the death toll may rise due to the hazardous conditions inside the mine.
Why it matters
This tragedy underscores the persistent dangers and lack of safety infrastructure in the mining industry within the region.
An explosion inside a coal mine in southwest Pakistan killed at least 32 miners and trapped 10 others underground in what officials believed to be life-threatening conditions as rescuers raced to reach them.
The blast on Thursday (July 30, 2026) was apparently triggered by a buildup of methane gas and occurred on the outskirts of the Baluchistan provincial capital of Quetta, said government mine inspector Ghani Baloch.
The bodies of seven people were recovered hours after the blast, and emergency responders later found 25 more bodies, officials and a provincial disaster management agency said in a statement. It said the search and rescue operation was continuing, with rescue teams working to locate and recover the remaining trapped miners.
Mr. Baloch said rescue operations would continue until all the trapped miners were found, but he added that officials believed the death toll likely would rise further.
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