A 47-year-old miner died on Sunday after a mining pit collapsed in the Puruni Backdam, Puruni River, Region 7, police said yesterday.
According to the police, the incident that resulted in the death of Stephen Mark Samuel, of Karawab Mission, Pomeroon River, Region 2, occurred at around 4 pm on Sunday.
Investigations revealed that Samuel was employed with a Brazilian national on a six-inch land dredge as a jet man and on the fateful day he and several other workers were in a pit working. It was whilst working that a part of the eastern wall broke and fell into the pit covering the now dead man.
The release said an alarm was raised and with the assistance of other workers Samuels’ motionless body was removed from under the rubble. A report was made to the police and ranks visited the scene and examined the body. No mark of violence was seen. The body was then escorted to the Puruni Health Centre.
The body is presently at Bartica Regional Hospital mortuary and will be transported to Georgetown for a post-mortem examination as police continue their investigation.
