Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
THREE men died while two others sustained injuries after a mine shaft collapsed at an illegal gold mining site in the Mpata area of Pondorosa Farm, Mhangura, on Friday afternoon.
The incident occurred at around 2pm yesterday when a group of artisanal miners entered a hanging shaft estimated to be approximately five metres deep in search of gold ore.
According to police sources, the miners had reportedly received information that people from neighbouring farms were illegally extracting gold ore at the site.
The now-deceased and injured proceeded to the location and entered the mine shaft.
The shaft collapsed while they were inside, trapping them underground.
Several other illegal miners who were at the site managed to flee immediately after the collapse.
The source said the illegal miners later regrouped and returned to the scene, where they managed to retrieve bodies from the collapsed shaft.
Officers from ZRP Mhangura attended the scene, and the bodies were ferried to Makonde Christian Hospital mortuary, where post-mortem examinations will be conducted.
The two injured men were also taken to Makonde Christian Hospital for treatment.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
