At least 34 miners have been confirmed dead after a methane gas explosion collapsed a coal mine in the Sorange area on the outskirts of Quetta, with rescue teams still working to reach the last of those trapped underground, officials said on Friday.

The blast tore through the mine at the Sardar Usman lease in the Sorange coalfield, about 50 kilometres east of Quetta ; on Thursday, when a buildup of methane ignited deep inside the shaft and triggered a collapse that sealed the exit routes. Forty-two labourers were inside at the time, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Three men were pulled out alive in the early hours of the operation, while the bodies of the dead were recovered in stages over the following day.

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Rescue crews were still searching for those unaccounted for on Friday, but officials said the chances of finding anyone else alive were slim after more than a day underground. The mine inspector had earlier warned that the toll was likely to rise further.

Balochistan's Minister for Mines and Minerals, Shoaib Nosherwani, said teams were working in extremely difficult conditions and that all available resources had been deployed. He announced compensation of 500,000 rupees for the family of each miner killed, and said the government would investigate the cause of the blast and review mine-safety measures.

Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti sought a detailed report on the disaster and warned that strict action would follow if negligence or misconduct was established. He also directed the authorities to enforce safety regulations at coal mines across the province.

A coal miners' labour body said it suspected negligence had caused the explosion and demanded action against those responsible, urging the government to strictly enforce safety laws and penalise operators who violate them.

The disaster ranks among the deadliest in a long record of mining accidents in Balochistan, where privately run coal mines are notorious for poor ventilation, inadequate gas-detection equipment and weak enforcement of safety rules. Labour groups have for years accused mine owners of failing to provide even basic protections.

The rescue operation was continuing. This is a developing story, and Balochistan Dispatch will update.