5 Afghan miners die after inhaling toxic gas

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Five Afghans, including two brothers, have lost their lives after inhaling poisonous gas in a coalmine in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.

The incident occurred in the Shahrag coal field in Harnai district on Saturday when six coalminers went deep into the private coalmine.

As the Afghans started digging coal, methane gas accumulated inside the mine, leaving the workers unconscious, local security officials said.

Those outside the coalmine, realising that there was no response from the miners, informed the contractor and other officials about the incident.

As rescuers went deep into the mine, they found five miners dead and recovered one in unconscious condition. The bodies were taken to the district hospital.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan mines chief inspector sealed the coalmine and ordered an investigation into the incident.

The victims were identified as Rahman Shah, Shafiullah, Zubair Allah and Matiullah. One of the dead could not be identified.

The coalmine belonged Malik Coal Company, contracted to Haji Shah Muhammad.

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