Three artisanal miners tragically lost their lives on Wednesday in Mapinga, reportedly due to inhaling exhaust fumes from a generator they had brought underground.
The generator was being used to power a jackhammer, which was employed to break apart large chrome ore boulders.
As reported by The Herald, the bodies of the three men, all aged 27, were recovered around 6 PM, two hours after the accident, and transported to the mortuary at Banket Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Among the bereaved is 65-year-old Gogo Pamidzai Kaitano, who lost two of her sons in this incident. The third victim was a neighbour of the brothers.
Ellesha Chitiza, a nephew of one of the deceased, shared his account of the tragic event. He said:
I received a call from Musoja who was sponsoring my uncle, cousin and friend, that something terrible had occurred at the mine.
I rushed to check what had happened. I noticed that the bodies of my uncle and cousin were lying lifeless a few metres from the entrance of the mine. My friend’s body was a distance away from those two.
I went down the shaft to investigate what had caused their death but couldn’t go further as I was now gasping for air. This means that there was a presence of poisonous gas in the shaft.
He said the generator in question was never found at the scene.
Gogo Kaitano, a resident of Kilmaqdouh Compound near Mapinga Truckstop, is heartbroken after the loss of her sons. Partially blind, she is grappling with profound grief following the tragic accident. She said:
They were caring for me; as you can see I am partially blind. For the past two months after joining the sector, they bought food and brought other items to the house. They had started working towards constructing a modern house.
Didymus Mukuya Mangeyi, the son of Gogo Kaitano, appealed to the Government and well-wishers to assist them in such a difficult time.
The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Josphat Jaji, who also chairs the Civil Protection Unit, said the district protection unit had been notified and investigations are underway.
Provincial Minister Marian Chombo expressed her sorrow over the situation, assuring that assistance will be provided to the affected families.
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