Dozens dead in Pakistan coalmine explosions

Twenty-three people have been killed and 11 wounded after gas explosions at two neighbouring coalmines in south-west Pakistan.

Shortly before midday on Saturday, a build-up of methane caused an explosion and tunnel collapse at a mine in Marwaarh, east of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province bordering Iran and Afghanistan.

Jawaid Shahwani, the top government official in Quetta, said 16 of the 25 people inside the mine were killed, with the other miners rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.

About three hours later, a mine 25 kilometres to the west at Spin Carez collapsed in similar circumstances, killing seven of nine miners.

Provincial mines minister Saleh Baloch said that all miners in both accidents had been accounted for and rescue operations had ended.

Pakistani mines are notorious for poor safety standards and bad ventilation.

Forty-three workers died in 2011 when gas explosions triggered a collapse in another Balochistan colliery, also owned by Pakistan Mineral Development.

Balochistan is the largest of Pakistan’s four provinces by area but its 7 million people have for decades argued that they do not receive a fair share of its vast gas and mineral wealth.

The beleaguered province has also battled against insurgents and extremists for more than a decade.