3 killed, 4 injured in Kasigau mine collapse

Miners at work at Simvest International Mining Company in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County. Three people were killed and four others seriously injured when a mining tunnel collapsed in Voi, Taita Taveta County on September 28, 2019. FILE PHOTO | LUCY MKANYIKA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Three people were killed and four others seriously injured.
  • The mine workers were searching for gemstones when the tunnel caved in.
  • The Kasigau mine is at the centre of a dispute between an investor and residents.

Three people were killed and four others seriously injured when a mining tunnel collapsed in Voi, Taita Taveta County.

The victims were buried alive at a mine in Kasigau ward on Saturday morning.

The mine workers were searching for gemstones when the tunnel caved in.

Eye witnesses said the artisanal miners were deep in the  tunnel when the soil caved in on them.

Mr Julie Chale, one of the artisanal miner in the area, said the workers had blasted the ore on Friday night to loosen the rocks to make it easier for them to access the minerals.

RISKY OPERATION

"The blasts might have weakened the walls of the tunnels," he said.

The police and residents who led the rescue operations used excavators to remove heaps of soil to retrieve the victims from the rubble.

The miners usually go more than 100 feet down in search of the precious stones.

Confirming the incident, county artisanal miners chairperson David Zowe said rescuers were forced to take the miners to St Joseph Shelter of Hope Hospital due to lack of medical services at county hospitals occasioned by the ongoing medics strike.

Taita Taveta County is rich in gemstones including green garnets, red garnets, tourmaline, Tsavorite and ruby.

DISPUTED MINE

The Kasigau mine is at the centre of a dispute between an investor and residents.

Hundreds of locals have invaded the mine after Kasigau ranch owners claimed that the investor had not sought consent from them.

The matter which is being heard at a Voi Law Court is yet to be determined, however the court ordered that status quo.

There are reports that the government is set to evict thousands of illegal miners who have invaded the private mine for safety reasons.