Three days in dreaded goldmine, man pulled out alive

A 25-year-old man was yesterday pulled out alive from a collapsed goldmine in Rongo sub-county, Migori County, bringing to the fore the grave dangers, the young men confront each day in very risky gold mines scattered across Western Kenya.

Noah Ogweno, 25, is lucky to be alive after he was rescued from the collapsed mine in Kichuri village, North Kamagambo location after three days stay in the pit.

Ogweno was trapped in the gold pit on  Thursday night when the tragic incident was reported.

He was later rescued at 2pm yesterday following a successful rescue joint operation conducted by county government and the area National Government Constituency Development office that donated rescue machines.

Powerful machines

He is said to have been alone in the mine when it collapsed.

Rongo sub-county Deputy County Commissioner Joseph Ng’eny said the miner was rescued and was immedaitely rushed to Tabaka Mission Hospital, in the neighboring Kisii County for medical attention.

“The rescue operations begun on Friday afternoon when we received powerful machines from the government.

It continued until Sunday when we managed to break through the hard rocks in the mines and pulled out the miner alive,” Ng’eny said adding that Ogweno was trapped in the mine after its walls caved in, following a downpour.

 The administrator says the rescue operations kicked off after miners at the site raised alarm on Friday morning, that one of their colleagues was missing.

Ng’eny said the miners reported that Ogweno could have sneaked into the mine on Thursday night despite their warnings. Only for it to collapse and trap him inside.

Assessment exercise

 “His (Ogweno) colleagues advised him that they suspend activities until the next day because the site was looking dangerous. They suspect he returned to continue his normal activities after they left for the day, before the tragedy struck,” Ng’eny told People Daily.

Rongo MP Paul Abuor had on Saturday tweeted about the incident: “As earlier indicated, I provided excavators to assist in rescuing a miner, Ogweno, of Rongo constituency, who was trapped in a mine after the collapse of a gold mine in North Kamagambo ward.”   

Yesterday, Ng’eny said that the government is contemplating closing gold mines in the area which are considered dangerous to the locals.

He said an assessment exercise was being carried out in liaison with the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), with the aim of closing  mines deemed to be dangerous and putting the lives of residents to risk.

“Definitely after the assessment we will close down the mines found to be dangerous to the lives of residents,” he said. 

The latest incident comes amid the ongoing efforts to retrieve the body of another miner who was trapped at Abimbo goldmine in Bondo sub-county, Siaya County about one month ago.

The family of Tom Okwach is still in distress and are hoping to retrieve the body of their son.

Other miners were however rescued alive in the Bondo goldmine accident.