2 miners die after pit collapses at Kumung Kumung Backdam
Two miners met their demise on Friday after the mining pit in which they were working collapsed at Kumung Kumung Backdam, Puruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The mining pit where the two miners were killed
The dead men have been identified as 44-year-old Troy Scott of Linden and 32-year-old Seon Martin of Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) who were employed by a businessman of Rahaman’s Park, Greater Georgetown.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Martin was the GM for the operation and at the time of the incident, he was operating the jetting hose while Scott was operating the marrock hose in the mining pit which is about 25 feet in depth.
However, during the mining operation, the land reportedly caved in thus trapping them beneath. Based on reports, the other workers who were also in the mining pit at the time escaped unhurt.
The two men were pulled from under the debris but by that time, they were already dead.
Their bodies were taken to the Bartica Hospital the following day. An investigation in underway. For the year thus far, there have been several mining pit fatalities.
One of the most recent was at Micobie in Region Eight which led to the death of 64-year-old miner and businessman, Donald Gouveia. It was reported that Gouveia and three others were working in a mining pit which is about 60 feet in diameter and 70 feet in depth when one of the walls caved in and covered him.
Also in June, 23-year-old Akeem Khan of Lot 37 Old Housing Scheme, Bartica, was killed after he was covered in slush when the walls of the mining pit he was working in collapsed at Sand Hill Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
It was reported that at the time of the incident, Khan was jetting in his mining pit with a 25-year-old employee when the walls of the pit began to cave in.
