6 dead, 8 trapped in Pakistan mine explosion

Islamabad, Aug 13 (IANS) At least six people have been killed and eight are still trapped following a gas explosion in a coal mine in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, police said on Monday.

The accident occurred late on Sunday after an explosion in a mine in Sanjdi area, police spokesperson, Aziz Sadique, told Efe.

Although emergency teams have been deployed to rescue the trapped, the success of the operation remains doubtful partly due to the great depth of the mine, he added.

"I don’t think we will rescue them alive," said Sadique.

The precarious safety condition in Pakistani mines make them highly prone to accidents.

In May, 23 miners were killed in two mine accidents in Balochistan.

In 2011, 50 miners died in Balochistan after a series of explosions caused by gas leaks in a coal site.