Pit caves in; 3 illegal miners killed at Manso Assaman

Three people died on Monday at Manso Assaman in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region when an illegal mining pit in which they were prospecting for gold caved in and collapsed on them.

Two others, who sustained various injuries, have been sent to the St Martin Hospital at Agroyesum where they are said to be responding to treatment.

The deceased included a 22-year-old student, Ayomah Agbon, a native of Zebilla who was said to be on vacation and had visited the area in a search for vacation job to able to earn money to help finance his education.

The two other deceased persons have been identified as Kwadwo Asiamah, 38, and Kwabena Darko, 25 both natives of Assaman.

Confirming the incident to Graphic Online, the District Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Joseph Appiah-Kubi, who is also the Assemblyman for the Assaman Electoral Area, said the incident occurred around 2pm on Monday.

According to him, deceased and the victims were illegal miners and where they were working was a private concession that has been abandoned.

He said when his men got there, the victims were trapped in the pit and his men had to use shovel and pickaxe to dig around to retrieve the bodies.

He said the three died in the pit while the other two who were in serious conditions were sent to the hospital for treatment.

According to Mr Appiah-Kubi, the injured included one lady who is yet to be identified while the other guy has given his name as Berko, also a native of Assaman.

He said the lady was still unconscious and unable to speak for now.