Ten miners die, scores injured

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Jane Kajoki, Mwanza

Ten artisanal miners died and eight others were seriously injured after being buried alive by a collapsing mine at Kasame in Geita district, Mwanza region, police said yesterday.

Acting Mwanza regional police commander, Nonosius Komba, said the mine collapsed at around 2:00pm on Monday.

He named the injured artisanal miners as Mabula Mbashi, 32, whose legs were broken, Festo Alexanda, 43, a resident of Kibe in the district, who was injured on the head and Gendo Kaikanye, 40, who was injured on the chest.

Others were Masumbuko Faustine, 32, who was injured on the chest, Mapato Manywele, 33, who was injured on the head and chest, Laurent Lutobela, 24, who sustained injuries on the chest and the hip, Bhahati Swamwel, 28, who was injured on the hip, Masumbuko Magabe, 26, who was also injured on the chest and hip and Simon Mussa, 28, who was injured on hip, waist and the back.

Some of the injured artisanal miners, who were admitted at Geita district hospital, were in critical condition and that bodies of their deceased colleagues were recovered and buried by relatives, he said.

The bodies were hastily buried for fear of state organs prohibiting mining activities to continue at the area Komba said, adding that investigation regarding the incident was in progress.

READ update here.