In an avoidable tragedy in Balochistan, the three men trapped in a mine in Harnai district have passed away after rescue workers failed to recover them even after three days, reported Aaj News on Thursday.

An operation is underway to recover the bodies of the miners trapped at least 1300 feet below surface.

The explosion took place on Tuesday after toxic methane gas started to fill the chambers with the resulting pressure caused an explosion. Six miners were originally trapped in the mine but three were rescued by other workers at the scene.

Despite the best efforts of rescuers, three miners remained trapped despite the passage of 12 hours, Harnai’s Deputy Commissioner Sardar Rafique Tareen, Deputy Commissioner Harnai told Express Tribune.

According to details, when the explosion went off, many fellow miners rushed to the scene to save three of the six trapped individuals. The miners rescued initially were rushed off to Harnai District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.

It is also pertinent to mention that Provincial Disaster Management Authority and the Mines and Minerals Association rescue teams took 10 hours to reach the site of the explosion.

Many on ground were of the opinion that the men trapped could have been saved if the rescue teams had arrived at the site of the accident sooner.

Mines and Mineral Association leader Peer Muhammad Kakarman blamed the government for not protecting colliers. He also blamed the owners of coal mines, the contractors as well as the mineral department over failure to ensure the miners' safety despite the frequency of such incidents.