Central Region: Dozens trapped in galamsey pit at Breman Brofoyedur

Dozens of people are feared dead in a collapsed illegal mining pit at Breman Brofoyedur, near Ayanfuri in the Upper Denkyira West municipality in the Central Region.

Three bodies have so far been retrieved after more than six hours of a rescue search.

While the Dunkwa Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ferguson Dzineku, put the number feared dead at  25, the Central Regional Office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) said it could be more than 35.

The miners were working in an open pit at Breman yesterday, where they had already excavated heaps of laterite the previous day.

They returned yesterday to work beneath the heaped laterite when it collapsed, trapping them.

Rescue efforts

The municipal security apparatus quickly organised an emergency meeting to rescue them. About 4 p.m. yesterday, the rescue party had hit dry ground, retrieving the bodies of only three of those feared dead.

Chief Supt Dzineku said the operation would continue today, as information indicated that there had been many people working on the site.

He explained that because of the strict enforcement of the law on illegal mining, those trapped had gone into the galamsey pit between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. to mine.

Night mission

Chief Supt Dzineku explained that around 3 a.m. yesterday, the police had information that the pit in which some illegal miners were mining had caved in, trapping dozens inside.

He said an excavator was brought in to help search of survivors.

Heed advice

The Central Regional NADMO Coordinator, Mr Joe Donkor, in an interview, expressed worry that illegal miners were using every means possible to outwit law enforcers to continue with their nefarious activities.

He urged all to heed the directive that banned illegal mining until the devastation caused to forests and water bodies was reversed.