Kirinyaga residents raise alarm over safety as man buried alive in quarry

Harrison Mwangi died on Monday after being buried by soil at Kwa V Quarry, where he had gone to work.

His relatives said Mwangi was the breadwinner of his family and depended on quarrying to support his household.

According to his brother, Josphat Kariuki, Mwangi entered the quarry with a friend at about 6am and went for lunch at around 1pm before returning to work.

"He was buried alive after lunch. It was a very bad incident," Kariuki said.

Mwangi's brothers, Kariuki and Francis Muriithi, said many residents of Kwa V village depend on quarrying for their livelihoods and have few alternative sources of income.

Muriithi said the work is physically demanding and comes with significant risks, particularly during the rainy season.

He also raised concerns over the cost of processing his brother's death, saying the family had been informed that a postmortem was required.

"We were at Kiamaciri Police Station and the DCI told us that a postmortem must be conducted. We do not have the KSh15,000 required for the postmortem," Muriithi said.

Quarry workers and residents are now concerned that the risk of soil and rock collapses could increase with the onset of heavy rains, which can weaken quarry walls and make excavation sites unstable.

Residents who do not work in the quarries have also appealed to the county government to inspect the sites and ensure safety measures are in place ahead of the rains.

Mwea West Sub-County Police Commander Millicent Ngugi confirmed the incident and said investigations had been launched.

She said a postmortem would be conducted as part of the procedure for deaths occurring in quarries.