KOHAT: The initial probe into the recent Darra Adamkhel Akhorwal coal mine blast has revealed that the presence of poisonous gas wasn’t reported in Darra mine before the Sept 12 blast.

It added that the nine miners killed in the incident were possibly unaware of the poisonous gas held up beneath them during digging and that the gas took them by surprise. The Fata Development Authority’s investigation into the Sept 12 deaths is under way. The authority’s officials visited the mine and interrogated its manager held by the administration.

Manager Talib Jan told investigators that miners were allowed to enter the mine after he proper checked it with the help of equipment in line with the standard operating procedure. He said he had found the mine in ‘perfect condition’ and then allowed three miners to enter it in the morning shift.

The manager said mining had been under way there for several months but the presence of poisonous gas had never been reported. He added that the bell installed to pull out the coal trolley didn’t ring and that he turned on mine exhausts and went into it for checking.

“I found a miner lie down and thought he’s injured but found him to be dead. We did not hear any explosion outside as it would be of very low intensity. Later, the rescue operation began,” he told investigators. He said the mine rocks had leaked gas unexpectedly. He said all safety precautions were adopted before sending miners into the mine but regrettably, they didn’t wear fire suits or helmets and relied on parallel entrance and exit way.

Official of Darra Adamkhel administration Azam Khan told Dawn that the FATADA had suspended work on the affected mine until the completion of inquiry. In the inquiry report, the FATADA also insisted that mine owners invested millions of rupees in the business but didn’t care for the life of their workers.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2018