Pakistan coal mine explosion kills at least 11, traps dozens

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters and The Associated Press, reported that an explosion at a coal mine in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province killed at least 11 miners on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The blast occurred in Sorange, a remote mining area about 50km east of Quetta, the provincial capital. Government mine inspector Ghani Baloch said the explosion was believed to have been caused by a buildup of methane gas.

Officials said 36 people were in the collapsed section of the mine complex when the explosion happened. Muhammad Atif, Balochistan’s chief inspector of mines, told Reuters that 28 miners were still missing late Thursday, with rescuers working at a depth of about 4,000 feet, or 1,219 metres. Baloch said rescue teams, supported by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority and other emergency responders, would keep searching until all trapped miners were accounted for.

The incident highlights persistent safety concerns in Pakistan’s coal sector, especially in Balochistan, where Al Jazeera noted that many mines lack adequate ventilation, gas detection systems and other basic protections. Mineworkers and labour groups have long accused operators of not enforcing safety rules or providing sufficient protective equipment.

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area but remains among its least developed, and coal mining provides income for thousands of workers despite low wages and dangerous conditions. The disaster adds to a pattern of deadly mining accidents in the region, where weak safety infrastructure can turn methane accumulation and collapses into mass-casualty events.