Local authorities in Samangan province report that three workers lost their lives in a methane gas explosion at a coal mine in the Dara-e-Souf Bala district.
Hashmatullah Rahmani, spokesperson for the interim government’s police in Samangan, stated that the incident occurred in the Leileh village of Dara-e-Souf Bala on Wednesday, February 12.
The spokesperson confirmed that the bodies of the three workers, who were from Daikundi province, were retrieved from under the rubble by security forces and returned to their families.
The workers were killed as a result of the methane gas explosion, and similar incidents of mine collapses and explosions have occurred in Samangan’s coal mines in the past.
On Monday, February 10, a mine collapse in the Dara-e-Souf district also claimed the lives of two miners.
The lack of proper mining practices and insufficient equipment are cited as major causes of these deadly incidents. Samangan is a key province in northern Afghanistan, rich in natural resources, with hundreds of workers engaged in mining operations.
Despite the province’s wealth in natural resources, the continued lack of safety measures and proper infrastructure poses significant risks to workers’ lives.
There is an urgent need for better mining regulations and equipment to prevent such tragic accidents and protect the lives of miners in Samangan and across the country.
