SEVEN KILLED IN PICKSTONE MINE COLLAPSE IN CHEGUTU
What began as a desperate search for survival ended in tragedy on Monday evening, when an open-pit mine in Pickstone Ward 5, Chegutu, collapsed, killing at least seven people and leaving two others with minor injuries.
Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo has since visited the scene, providing official confirmation of the incident as authorities move to assess the circumstances surrounding the deadly collapse.
According to preliminary reports, the victims were part of a group of illegal miners who had undercut a high wall at the edge of the pit, triggering a sudden collapse. All seven died on the spot, buried beneath tonnes of earth and rubble.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the bodies were retrieved and taken to Chegutu District Hospital for post-mortem examinations, while investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The tragedy once again casts a harsh spotlight on the deadly risks faced by informal miners, many of whom venture into unsafe pits driven by poverty and limited employment opportunities.
