Horrific Coal Mine Scene: 18 Workers Dead, Dozens Trapped

At least 18 coal miners have been reported dead after a powerful methane gas explosion rocked a mining complex in Balochistan Province, Pakistan, on Thursday (30/07/2026). The incident also caused parts of the mine to collapse, leaving dozens of workers trapped underground. The Balochistan Provincial Government stated that search and rescue operations are ongoing to evacuate 14 miners who remain trapped within the mine.

Previously, Balochistan’s Minister for Mining and Mineral Development, Shoaib Nosherwani, told Reuters that 36 workers were in the section of the mining complex that collapsed during the explosion. As of Thursday evening, 25 miners had been declared missing.

Rescue teams are currently working at a depth of approximately 4,000 feet (around 1,219 metres) to search for victims still located beneath the rubble. “We hope to find some miners alive, but the chances are slim,” said the Chief Mining Inspector of Balochistan, Muhammad Atif.

Meanwhile, a senior local government mining official, Abdul Ghani Baloch, explained that the extremely powerful methane gas explosion damaged two adjacent mines, triggering the collapse of part of the mining complex. The tragic event occurred in the Sorange area, a remote mining region located near Quetta, the capital of Balochistan Province. Local authorities are currently focusing rescue efforts while investigating the exact cause of the explosion that killed at least 18 miners.