Seven reported dead in mining explosion

Europa

April 10, 2017 9:18 AM

The incident occurred underground as some small-scale miners were scooping gold ore inside mining pits several feet deep.

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Seven people are feared dead at a fatal mining explosion at Gbani, a community in the Talensi District of the Upper East region.

The incident occurred underground as some small-scale miners were scooping gold ore inside mining pits several feet deep, Accra-based Starr FM reports.

The mine workers got trapped inside the dark tunnels after the ground over their heads reportedly collapsed following the explosion.

Eight of the miners, who were said to have been affected by the smoke from the explosives, were rushed to the Upper East Regional Hospital. Two, however, died shortly after arrival.

Five others were said to have died later with one reportedly to be in critical condition.

“In the morning, at the time I was leaving, I personally saw most of them. At the time I was leaving, two had passed on. Two of them were in stable state. Four of them were in quite critical state. We have called Tamale to refer them. Later on, there were reports that one or two passed away. That one I have not crosschecked. But I was around when two passed on,” the Medical Director at the hospital, Dr. Patrick Atobrah, told Accra-based Starr FM.

He added: “They were a total of 8. Two died immediately after they came. They said they were in a pit and they blasted. I think it caved in. They couldn’t come out. They inhaled the smoke from whatever explosive they blasted. Essentially, they were not physically injured; but they inhaled so much smoke. That was the problem. It affected their lungs.”

Europa