Seven miners have died following the collapse of a mining pit in Kassa community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 7pm on Wednesday while the miners were reportedly working at the site.
According to residents, the sudden collapse trapped the miners underground, prompting fellow miners and community members to launch a rescue operation.
A resident, Albert Danlami, said the collapse caused panic in the community as people rushed to the site to assist in the rescue effort.
He said, “The miners were trapped underground following the collapse, prompting residents and other miners to commence efforts to recover them.”
Danlami added that some people sustained injuries in the incident.
The Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, also confirmed the deaths, stating that seven miners were found dead after the rescue efforts.
He said, “Seven miners lost their lives in the incident. They were at the mining site when the pit collapsed.”
The incident has thrown residents of Kassa into mourning, with community members calling for urgent intervention to improve safety at mining sites across the area.
A resident, Timothy Bako, described the deaths as devastating and urged the government to strengthen monitoring of mining activities.
“We are heartbroken. These are young men who went to work to feed their families. The pit was too deep and there were no safety measures. Government must regulate these mining sites before more lives are lost,” Bako said.
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said poor safety practices remained a major concern among miners in the community.
“People are digging with bare hands and without proper support. We need government and mining experts to intervene and prevent more deaths,” the resident said.
Community leaders have subsequently appealed to the Plateau State Government and relevant mining authorities to assist the bereaved families and enforce safety standards at mining sites in the local government area.
