Four miners die as West Pokot gold shaft caves in
Police and witnesses said 28-year-old Charles Okongo rushed into the tunnel after the blast to collect gold sand but suffocated inside.
A tragic accident at a gold mining site in Kambi Karai, West Pokot County, claimed the lives of four people on Thursday, October 2, when a mining shaft collapsed.
The victims, Silas Losenya, 22, Jacob Tsangana, 30, Morio Akotopuo, 35, and 14-year-old Lopoghon Lopakar, were buried alive and later recovered by police.
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Authorities said local reservists alerted officers about the incident, prompting an immediate response. The victims’ bodies were taken to Kapenguria County Hospital Mortuary.
The collapse is the latest in a string of fatal incidents at gold mining operations. Last week, a miner died in Masara, Migori County, following an explosion in a tunnel.
A Chinese manager at the site detonated explosives to loosen gold deposits after miners had evacuated.
Police and witnesses said 28-year-old Charles Okongo rushed into the tunnel after the blast to collect gold sand but suffocated inside.
He was later discovered by other miners and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Locals reacted angrily to the Masara incident, vandalising property and accusing management of reckless use of explosives.
Xia Guangjun, a Chinese national, was rescued from the mob and arrested. The site is operated by Shengxin Mining Company Limited, with Xia facing allegations of unauthorised detonation.
Officials note that deaths at gold mining sites are increasing, often due to miners lacking protective equipment. Ongoing campaigns target unsafe practices in Migori, Kakamega, Siaya, and West Pokot counties to prevent further tragedies.
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