4 coal mine workers have died from suffocation resulting from an explosion in Baghlan province, Afghanistan. According to local authorities, the incident occurred at around 4:00 am local time on Monday when a mining pit collapsed inside the mine, filling the underground chamber and shafts with heavy smoke.
The Baghlan-e Jatroh police chief, Abdel Qadar Pardela, said that the incident took place in the Sangari area of the province’s Khost district. He added that all four workers lost their lives while trying to escape the accident.
The provincial governor’s media office released an official statement confirming the incident and expressing condolences to the families of the deceased. The statement asked for government assistance to the families in burying the victims and providing financial support to their families.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has appointed a delegation to investigate the accident and come up with a report to submit to the officials in charge.
The tragic incident has highlighted the poor safety standards in coal mines across Afghanistan. The Afghan government needs to take immediate steps to improve safety in the coal mines to avoid such occurrences.