A gold mine collapsed at Lumba village in Rarieda Sub County, Siaya County, on May 7, 2024, burying alive an artisanal miner as his three colleagues escaped death by a whisker.

According to local residents, 19-year-old Kennedy Ouma was in a group of four who were prospecting for the mineral when the incident occurred.

His colleagues, Evans Onyango and Vincent Otieno said they had been underground the whole day and as they were winding up, the shaft’s walls started collapsing as they were approximately 50 feet below the surface.

Speaking at the scene of the incident where efforts were being made to retrieve the body of the deceased, the miners, together with their colleague, Samson Odhiambo said they watched helplessly as the debris collapsed on their colleague.

The late Ouma’s sister, Merceline Akinyi called on the government to help them retrieve the body of the deceased.

Residents led by Fredrick Mwango and Fredrick Matta blamed a local mining company for using open blasts which, they claimed, weakened the rock formation, resulting in the calamity.

They lamented that the investor had also left open shafts which are dangerous for the community and called on the government to compel the company to refill them or cease operations in the area.

A village elder, Samuel Olielo thanked another gold mining company operating in the area for donating earth moving equipment to help in search for the body.