A teenager was on Wednesday afternoon killed when the walls of a mining pit in which he and two others were working caved in.
Dead is 17-year-old Romeo Ruben of Imbaimadai Landing, Upper Mazaruni River, Region Seven.
Reports are that at about 14:00h, Ruben and two others, 29-year-old Virgil Andrews and 26-year-old Delby Perry, were working in the mining pit at Gold Hill Backdam, Upper Mazaruni, when its eastern wall suddenly collapsed.
According to information received, the teen was reportedly covered with slush for a short period before he was pulled from the rubble alive. He was rushed to the Imbaimadai Health Post, where he died while receiving medical attention. The Police were notified, and an investigation has been launched.
A mining pit in Guyana’s interior
His body has been transported to the Lyken Funeral Parlour in Georgetown, where it is awaiting a post mortem examination (PME).
This newspaper was told that the teen had been employed by a 25-year-old man of Scottsburg Housing Scheme, Berbice.
Ruben is the second person for the month whose life has been snatched away as a result of a mining pit accident.
A 54-year-old miner died on February 4 after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed.
Timothy Hunter of Jawalla Village, Upper Mazaruni River died after being covered with mud.
According to Police, the incident occurred at about 16:30h 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.
Back in October 2018, Lennox Douglas, 33, of Canvas City, Wismar, Linden also 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).
Those two were Deon Sproston, called “Jersey Joe”, 36, of Lot 133 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and a miner known only as “Shawn”. The incident occurred at about 20:00h on September 17.
Guyana Times 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.
Also, 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 at Pepper Camp Backdam, Upper Mazaruni River, after he was covered by mud after the wall of a mining pit in which he was working collapsed.
Again, one month later, in June, miner Elmo Adams died after he also was buried alive after the walls of a pit in which he was working caved in at Imbaimadai, Upper Mazaruni.
