Coalmine blast toll climbs to 7

QUETTA: At least seven miners have died and over 45 others, with bleak chances of survival, are trapped in a coalmine after methane gas sparked explosions causing collapse of mine 1200meters underground in Surran range, some 35km east of Quetta in the wee hours of Sunday.

The coalmine is run by Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC).

The number of miners working inside the mine varies from 52 to 59. Officials, including Chief Inspector of Mines, Muhammad Iftikharsay that six bodies have been retrieved from the mine.

A total of three explosions were reported inside the mine due to accumulation of gas at around 2.00a.m. "Miners died of suffocation and still a huge quantity of gas is causing difficulties in rescue work," officials said. (PPI)