70-year-old gold miner dies in pit collapse at Puruni Backdam in Region 7

70-year-old gold miner dies in pit collapse at Puruni Backdam in Region 7

A 70-year-old gold miner lost his life tragically on Tuesday when the walls of a mining pit collapsed and buried him.

A statement from the Guyana Police Force explained that the incident took place at around 2pm on Tuesday at Thomas Island, Puruni River in Region Seven. The dead miner has been identified as Emmanuel Jeffrey.

The native of Parika, reportedly operated a land dredge in the Puruni backdam. The police said on Tuesday, he was working with two of his employees in a mining pit when the eastern side of the pit suddenly collapsed, leading to soil rushing in and burying the 70-year-old.

It took his employees and other miners from the area more than an hour to dig thru the collapsed soil and reach his body. It was too late by the time they got the body. He was pulled from the soil and rushed to the Bartica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation into the incident is being carried out by the Police with support from the Labour Department and the GGMC.

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