Five people killed, 8 injured after gold mine collapses in Kakamega

Five people died in a gold mine accident on Thursday evening at Bushiangala village in Ikolomani Constituency, Kakamega County.

According to Kakamega South police boss Joseph Cheshire, eight other people were injured in the 7pm accident and were taken to to Shibwe hospital. Two of the injured are in critical condition.

They were part of a group of about 30 people in a mine that is reportedly more than 100ft deep, when it partially collapsed leading to some of the being buried under sand.

Mining activities have been stopped after the accident, with locals asking the county government to provide local youth with modern equipment to carry out the mining work.

The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Kakamega County General Hospital mortuary.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya sent his condolences to the family of the deceased, adding that the county government will help the bereaved families and those who were injured.

“It is unfortunate that we lost 5 hardworking gold miners who were on a mission to earn a living for their families. My Government will support the bereaved families and 8 miners who were injured in the accident. Visited the miners at Bushiangala in Ikolomani to comfort them,” said Oparanya on Friday.