QUETTA, Oct 13: Five miners were killed and three others injured by a gas explosion in a coal mine in Zarkhu area of Mastung district on Thursday.

Chief Inspector of Mines Iftikhar Ahmed said the blast in the Degari mine was caused by accumulated methane gas.

He said a fire broke out after the blast, killing and injuring the workers who were in the mine.

In March this year, about 42 miners were killed in a similar accident in Sorrange area of Quetta district.

Balochistan Minister for Mines and Minerals Mir Abdul Rehman Mengal ordered an inquiry. The mine has been closed for an indefinite period.

Sources said that 12 workers had descended into the mine in the morning, but four of them came out at about 2pm. The powerful explosion which took place at about 2:35pm rocked the entire area.

According to Bakht Nawab Yousufzai of Pakistan Mines Workers Federation, a huge fire engulfed the mine that did not allow the miners to come out. He said the workers were about 1,600 feet below the surface when the blast occurred.

Three bodies had been recovered till late in the evening.

The injured were taken to the Bolan Medical College Hospital in Quetta.

The deceased were identified as Abdullah, Ziaullah, Sharafat, Zahoor and Gul Wali, hailing from Swat and Shangla.