Bodies of colliers died in Balochistan mine collapse reach Shangla

ALPURI: The bodies of most of the miners, who had lost their lives in a coalmine collapse incident in Sanjidi area in Balochistan, reached Shangla on Saturday.

Gloom prevailed in the Shangla’s district headquarters, Alpuri, where everyone seemed sad and depressed.

A coalmine collapsed on Thursday due to the presence of poisonous methane gas that trapped 12 workers, 10 of whom were from Shangla, including two brothers.

The incident occurred near the provincial capital of Quetta in Balochistan, about 40 kilometers from the city, at the Sanjidi coalmine.

The victims were residents of the outskirts of Alpuri in Shangla. They were identified as Roshan Zaib, Izharuddin, Muhammad Yamalik, Amanullah, Nauman, the residents of Pirabad Mian Killay in Shangla, Muhammad Shafi, Wahid Zaman, Nizamuddin, the residents of Rahimabad Shamanu Kas Basi in Alpuri, Umar Wali, a resident of Tangon Basi in Alpuri, Akbarullah, a resident of Zarrah Dheri in Shangla, and Luqman from Madyan in Khwazakhela, Swat.

The colliers had trapped more than 6,000 feet underground. It was learnt that the miners were working inside the coalmine when an explosion of toxic methane gas caused a fire, leading to a collapse that buried the miners.

Shangla workers frequently fall victim to such tragic accidents. Previously, three workers from the district were killed in a mining accident in Darra Adamkhel, and another three lost

their lives in a coal mine in Punjab.

Hundreds of families from the Shangla district have fallen victim to the incidents of coalmine collapse all over the country, most of which result from official apathy and lack of safety measures by mine owners.