ISLAMABAD, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Twelve laborers were killed and eight others injured after an explosion in a coal mine in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, officials said on Wednesday.
The explosion struck on Tuesday night as toxic gas accumulated inside the cave in Harnai district of the province, Abdul Ghani Baloch, chief inspector of mines of Balochistan, told Xinhua.
He said that 12 laborers were working inside the mine when the blast happened and eight more laborers entered the mine trying to rescue their trapped colleagues.
"Unfortunately, further collapsing of the coal mine trapped them as well," he added.
The rescue teams have completed the operation and recovered 12 bodies and eight injured from the mine, he added.
The injured people have been shifted to a nearby hospital.
In a statement, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in the incident. ■
