ORAKZAI: At least two labourers were killed in a coal mine blast in Khawnu Sam Orakzai, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP).

According to the District Police officer (DPO) Nazir Khan, the blast was caused by a gas explosion, resulting in the death of two coal mine workers and leaving one injured as well.

The DPO stated that the dead bodies were taken out of the mine after the rescue operation. The deceased workers are from Shangla KP.

Earlier, a powerful explosion in a coal mine in the Saragarhi area on the outskirts of Quetta left five miners dead and five others injured.

Balochistan’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) stated that three injured miners have been shifted to the Trauma Centre. “An inquiry to find the cause of the explosion inside the coal mine has been underway,” DG PDMA said.

According to sources at the Inspectorate of Mines, the accumulation of methane gas can likely to be led to an explosion. Balochistan is rich in minerals but its mines have a poor safety record.