TWO illegal miners died last Wednesday evening while a
third escaped with injuries in yet another mine collapse incident in Kwekwe.
The fatal accident comes a week after the Globe and Phoenix
Mine accident which left three illegal miners dead and more than 20 others
trapped underground before they walked to safety.
The latest mine disaster occurred at Mosi Mine, a few
kilometers outside Kwekwe Central Business District, along Kwekwe-Harare
highway.
Officer Commanding Kwekwe District police, Chief
Superintendent Conrad Mubaiwa confirmed the fatal mine accident.
“I can confirm that two people were killed when a tunnel at
Mosi Mine collapsed. The third one escaped with minor injuries and was rushed
to Kwekwe District Hospital where he was treated and discharged,” said Chief
Supt Mubaiwa.
He said the three illegal miners entered a disused mine
tunnel before disaster struck.
“There are many tunnels at the mine and the three had
sneaked into a disused tunnel where they were panning illegally.
“When they went underground, the two, who are now deceased,
followed one tunnel while the one who escaped went the opposite direction,”
said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.
He said upon hearing the sound of falling debris, the
injured illegal miner rushed to the scene in an attempt to rescue his
colleagues.
“The debris kept falling and he had to rush out before he
could rescue them as he feared for his life.
“He then rushed to alert others who in turn alerted the
police. The bodies have since been retrieved,” said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.
Meanwhile, Chief Supt Mubaiwa has dismissed as false
reports that illegal miners were still trapped underground at Globe and Phoenix
Mine. He said three illegal miners were confirmed dead after a
boulder fell on them.
“There are no more miners trapped underground. Police
working together with other rescue teams conducted a thorough search at the
mine and no bodies or people were found there,” said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.
He said besides the search, a survivor also confirmed that
all the people had been accounted for.
“We interviewed one of the survivors who told us that they
were five when they went underground,” said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.
Social media and other media platforms were awash with
information suggesting that there could be more people trapped underground when
the mine tunnel collapsed last week. Chronicle
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