KALAYA: Three labourers were killed and two others suffered injuries when a blast occurred in a coalmine in Doli area of Orakzai Agency on Tuesday evening.

Assistant political agent, lower Orakzai, Mohammad Arshad, confirmed the incident, saying that the coalmine blast claimed lives of three miners and caused injuries to two others.

The victims were identified as Rahimuddin, Ajmal Khan and Ismail Khan. They belonged to Shangla district. The injured labourers were identified as Qayyum and Janan, who were shifted to a local hospital.

Soon after the incident, a rescue team of mines department reached the area and initiated operation. The bodies were dispatched to their native areas after completing legal formalities.

It is to be mentioned here that at least 146 labourers have been killed in incidents at coalmines in Orakzai during the past two years. At least two dozen mines in the area have been declared dangerous.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2015

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