…54-yr-old miner dies after mining pit collapses in Upper Mazaruni
A 54-year-old miner died on Monday after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed and he was covered with mud.
Dead is Timothy Hunter of Jawalla Village, Upper Mazaruni River.
According to Police, the incident occurred at about 16:30h on Monday at a mining pit located at Ominaik Village, Upper Mazaruni River.
The initial investigation revealed that Hunter and several other miners were “jetting” inside the pit when a wall collapsed and covered him.
Reports are the other miners attempted to rescue him but by the time they dug through the slush, he was unresponsive.
The body is presently at the Imbaimadai Health Post awaiting post-mortem.
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”. The incident occurred at about 20:00h on September 17.
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 Ten (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, ten 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.
