Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba
TRAGEDY struck in Shurugwi when four artisanal miners were crushed to death after a disused mineshaft collapsed at Chengxi Gold Mine last Thursday.
Police confirmed the accident in a statement posted on X, revealing that the victims were illegally prospecting for gold when disaster struck.
“The victims, who were prospecting for gold in a disused mineshaft, got trapped after the shaft collapsed,” the statement read.
Efforts to rescue the miners proved futile as the unstable ground made access difficult and dangerous. It took several days before retrieval teams managed to bring the bodies to the surface on Tuesday.
The remains were ferried to Gweru Provincial Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Shurugwi mining community, with many locals expressing concern over the growing number of deaths linked to unsafe, unregulated mining activities.
“Every week we hear of people dying like this. It’s painful, but poverty is pushing people to risk their lives underground,” said one resident.
Authorities have repeatedly warned against illegal mining in disused shafts, which are prone to sudden collapses, but the lure of gold continues to drive desperate fortune seekers into danger.
Police urged miners to prioritise safety and adhere to regulations to prevent further loss of life.
