A devastating tragedy struck in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, as 13 individuals lost their lives after a mining site collapse on Saturday. The incident occurred while the victims were working at the site, and the collapse resulted in their untimely deaths.
The tragic event was confirmed by the Chairman of Bassa LGA, Joshua Riti, in a statement to the press on Tuesday. Riti expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and provided details of the unfortunate incident.
The chairman revealed that the collapse trapped 13 miners, all of whom were working inside the site at the time. He further disclosed that seven of the deceased were from Bassa LGA, while the remaining victims hailed from various other LGAs within Plateau State.
An investigation into the cause of the collapse is currently underway, with officials working to determine the exact circumstances that led to the disaster. The LGA Chairman lamented the fact that these young individuals, aged between 18 and 30, tragically perished while working hard to support themselves and their families during a time of economic hardship.
Riti expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, saying, “This is an unfortunate incident. These young people were only out in search of a means of livelihood. They went out to put their energies to good use to sustain and meet up with the current economic hardship in the country but met their untimely death. My heart goes out to their families, and I extend my deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy.”
Eyewitnesses to the disaster reported that the workers were inside the mining site when the ground suddenly gave way, causing the entire area to collapse onto them. The survivors quickly rushed the victims to the hospital, but unfortunately, all 13 were confirmed dead on arrival. The loss has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving families and residents grappling with the grief of the tragic incident.