Peshawar, Jul 26 (PTI) At least three workers died on Saturday due to suffocation inside a coal mine in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, police said.

According to initial details, the miners died as a result of severe oxygen deficiency while working deep inside the mine in Aurakzai district, police said.

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The deceased have been identified as Rahimullah, Aslam Khan, and Sher Rehman, all from District Shangla, a region known for supplying a large number of labourers to coal mines across the country.

Local authorities and rescue teams rushed to the site following the incident.

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Further investigation is underway to determine the cause of the oxygen depletion and to assess whether safety protocols were adequately followed.

The tragedy once again highlights the ongoing concerns regarding poor safety conditions in coal mines across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where several similar incidents have been reported in recent years, said an expert on the subject.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)