Another young miner has died after the walls of the pit in which he was working collapsed and covered him alive.
Dead is 21-year-old Deon Henry of Triangle Backdam, Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini).
According to reports, Henry was in the pit with several other persons, but his colleagues were unable to save him as the eastern wall of the pit caved in on him. The men managed to pull Henry from under the slush but were not able to resuscitate him. The police were called and his body was taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital mortuary.
In October, a geologist attached to the Troy Resources mining operations at Karouni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), was killed after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed.
Dead is 33-year-old Ryan Taylor of Lot 85 Lamaha Street, Alberttown, Georgetown.
Based on reports received, Taylor and three others were working on the construction of a “bench” in a mining pit, when there was a slippage, which allegedly resulted in him falling and being covered.
Earlier this year, 54-year-old miner, Timothy Hunter of Jawalla Village, Upper Mazaruni River, Region Seven, also died after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed and he was covered with mud.
On December 27, 2018, 11-year-old Tairon Terryl De Souza of Big Creek, Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), died at Big Creek during a mining pit accident.
In October 2018, Lennox Douglas, 33, of Canvas City, Wismar, Linden, met his demise when a portion of rocks from a mining pit reportedly fell onto his head.
He was, however, quickly picked up and rushed to the Issano Health Centre where he succumbed to his injuries. In September 2018, two miners lost their lives after they were covered by mud when a pit in which they were working caved in at the Mowasi Backdam, Konawaruk, Potaro, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
Dead are Deon Sproston, called “Jersey Joe”, 36, of Lot 133 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and a miner only known as “Shawn”.
Guyana Times International understands that the two men and other persons were working the walls of the pit with metal detectors searching for gold while it was raining heavily.
While working, a large portion of the pit wall suddenly broke off and fell on both men, burying them alive.
In January 2018, 23-year-old Handel Payne, also called “Daggie”, of Kaneville Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), died after the mining pit in which he was working at 35 Miles, Konawaruk Backdam, collapsed.
In April 2018, a miner named Kevin Adams, 25, of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) died at Chinese Creek Backdam, Mazaruni River, after a pit caved in and buried him alive.
One month later, in May, Ken Ranny, 20, a resident of Kamarang, Upper Mazaruni River, died after he was covered by mud after the wall of a mining pit in which he was working collapsed at Pepper Camp Backdam, Upper Mazaruni River.
Again, one month later, in June, miner Elmo Adams died after he too was buried alive after the walls of a pit in which he was working caved in at Imbaimadai, Upper Mazaruni.
Back in 2015, 10 persons died in a mining pit in the Konawaruk area after it collapsed. The incident saw 17 miners being buried under a pile of dirt and rubble but seven managed to escape alive with various injuries.
The others remained trapped under the dirt, where they perished. The ten miners were Leyland Jones, Jason Trotman, Vick Bernard, Frank Bernard, Desmond Martins, Raymond August, Brian Bank, Trevon Phillips, Nanmore Kurt and another man identified only as “Michael”.
The deaths were blamed on heavy rains in the area, improper mining design and poor safety practices at the mining camp.
