Two Shangla miners killed in separate coal mine accidents

PESHAWAR: Two miners from Shangla district were killed and another was injured in two separate accidents at coal mines, according to details reported from the affected areas.

The first incident took place at about 1pm at Mine No 5 in the Akhorwal coal mines. Two workers were buried under debris while work was under way inside the mine.

Rescue teams, fellow miners and local residents began efforts to recover the trapped workers immediately. After nearly two and a half hours of work, they managed to pull both men out of the mine.

The miner who died was identified as Muhammad Zada, son of Gul Jahan. The injured worker was identified as Khadim Shah, son of Bli Dhar. Both men were residents of Shangla district.

Khadim Shah was given initial medical assistance before being shifted to a nearby health facility for further treatment.

Second incident in Chaparmashti

In the second accident, reported from the Chaparmashti area, Haider, son of Akbar Khan, died while working in a coal mine. He was a resident of Borsht and belonged to Koz Kana.

The young man had gone to the mine to earn a livelihood and was killed in an accident during work. After completion of the required formalities, his body was sent to his native village for burial.

Concern over mine safety

The two incidents have caused grief in Shangla and nearby areas. Local residents and labour organisations voiced concern over what they described as inadequate safety arrangements in coal mines.

They called on the government and the relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the situation. People in the area said repeated accidents in coal mines had become a continuing danger for workers and urged strict implementation of safety procedures at all mining sites to help prevent further loss of life.

The back-to-back fatalities once again drew attention to the risks faced by labourers working in mines, particularly those who travel from their home areas in search of employment. The deaths of the two Shangla miners and the injury to a third worker had left the region in mourning.