A miner is now dead, and another is seriously injured after a mining pit collapsed at 35 Miles Konawaruk Backdam, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) on Monday.
Dead is 23-year-old Handel Payne, also called “Daggie” of Kaneville Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Information reaching Guyana Times revealed that Payne and others were working in the mining pit when a piece of the mud wall collapsed behind him and struck him in the mid-section. He reportedly fell unconscious by which time the water began to rise rapidly.
Dead miner: Handel Payne
He was submerged and subsequently drowned. He was later pulled out and rushed to the Mahdia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Reports are another miner received severe injuries, and was currently hospitalised at the Mahdia Hospital. His identity has not been revealed.
The pit is reportedly owned by Collin Robertson, 34, of One Mile Extension, Wismar, Linden, who also worked as the jet man.
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 of them made it out alive with varying injuries.
The others remained trapped under the dirt where they eventually perished. The 10 trapped 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.
Meanwhile, with respect to the mining death on Monday, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has launched an investigation. The body of Payne was transported to the Mahdia Hospital Mortuary to await a post-mortem.
