Mining pit collapse in Ghana claims seven lives

At least seven people died after a mining pit in which they were working collapsed in the Eastern Region of Ghana, an official confirmed on Tuesday.

Alfred Agyemang, regional operations director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), told Xinhua that the incident occurred late Monday at a community in the Birim North District of the region.

He said rescuers managed to save three people alive, and they were receiving medical treatment in a hospital nearby.

“One of the survivors told us that there were about 10 people working in the pit when it caved in,” said Agyemang, who is leading a team of NADMO officials to the site of the disaster, adding that seven dead bodies were also recovered from the collapsed pit.

Investigation into the cause of the accident is still underway, he added.

Mining disasters involving small-scale miners occur from time to time in Ghana as people defy the risks of descending into unsafe pits, looking for gold for sale. Enditem