Islamabad, Jan 15 (IANS): At least six people were killed and three others injured in a coalmine blast in Pakistan's Orakzai tribal region Thursday, officials said.
"The blast occurred at Doli area of Orakzai Agency. It was caused by gas leakage," reported Xinhua, citing an official of the mine as saying.
The official said rescue teams have pulled out the bodies and the injured. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital.
Those killed were from the Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Locals say there are nearly 300 coalmines in the area and blasts have also occurred in the past.
Three labourers were killed in a coalmine blast in this tribal region last week.
The employees have complained for long about lack of proper security measures in the coalmines.