14 Trapped Miners Pulled Out Of Collapsed Mine In Silobela
14 miners who were trapped underground after the tunnel they were working in collapsed have all been rescued with no casualties.
The mining accident occurred at Peace Mine in Silobela on Saturday night and the miners were pulled out on Monday night after fellow miners and the community stepped in.
Rubble collapsed into the tunnel creating an approximately 20-metre barricade which barred the miners from getting out of the tunnel.
Initial reports had claimed that 12 miners had been trapped but it was later established that 14 people were rescued.
Acting Kwekwe Civil Protection Unit Chairperson, (CPU) Clemence Muduma said some of the rescued miners had been taken to hospital. Said Muduma:
All the miners, 14 of them are out and are safe. They have since been rescued. Some of them were taken to hospital for check-ups and were released.
Meanwhile, Silobela member of parliament, Mthokozisi Manoki-Mpofu called upon authorities to close the mine until ownership issues were solved.
Mining operations at the mine were controlled by the Silobela Community Ownership Trust, but since the chairperson, Arther Nkiwane died, miners have been carrying out unsanctioned mining operations.
