GEORGETOWN – Police are investigating the death of a 70-year-old miner, after he was reportedly buried alive after a pit collapsed located along the Puruni River, in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region.
In a statement, the police said that Emanuel Jeffrey was operating a four-inch land dredge at the Backdam, alongside two employees, when the incident occurred on Tuesday.
“At the time of the incident, Mr. Jeffrey and his coworkers were engaged in mining activities in a pit measuring 15 feet wide, 10 feet long, and eight feet deep. During their work, the eastern side of the pit collapsed, which led to soil rushing in and completely burying Mr Jeffrey for approximately 60 minutes,” the statement noted.
It said that the coworkers excavated the site, and Jeffrey was subsequently transported to Bartica Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Earlier this month, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton expressed concern at the increase in work-related deaths, primarily in the mining and construction sectors last year.
Hamilton told a news conference that there had been a 60 per cent increase in labour deaths, with a total of 32 being recorded, and expressed disappointment that despite all of the measures being taken to avoid such deaths, an increase had still been reported in 2024. (CMC)
