In a heartbreaking incident, 38 lead miners lost their lives due to a gas explosion at a mining pit in central Nigeria’s Plateau state. Another 27 people were injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The blast happened at the Kampanin Zurak site in the Bashar district, striking early in the morning between 7:30 and 8:00 am. The miners were deep underground when the explosion occurred, making rescue efforts incredibly difficult.
One miner from a nearby pit described the chaos: “People were inside the mining pits when suddenly the gas exploded. We did everything we could to rescue them, but sadly, 38 didn’t make it.”
The tragedy was likely caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, turning what should have been a routine workday into a devastating loss.
Kampanin Zurak is an old mining settlement in the Wase district, and the site is run by a local company. Plateau state has a long history of mining, with its capital Jos once famous as the Tin City, though activity has declined in recent years.
This isn’t the first time such accidents have struck Nigerian miners. Just last September, at least 18 people died in Zamfara state when a boulder collapsed on an illegal mine during heavy rains.
Authorities have pointed to illegal mining as a factor fueling bandit violence, with criminal groups extorting protection money from miners.