Explosion in northwest Pakistan coal mine kills 9, injures 4

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Officials say a methane gas explosion has ripped through a coal mine in northwest Pakistan, killing nine miners and injuring four others. Monday’s explosion happened in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. An adviser for the Mines and Minerals Department told reporters that local authorities are still investigating. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the incident. Safety standards are commonly ignored in the coal mining industry in Pakistan, leading to accidents and explosions that have killed numerous mine workers in recent years.