7 killed in gold mine collapses in western Kenya

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Seven people died after a gold mine collapsed in western Kenya's Siaya County on Tuesday, police said.

The incident occurred in Lumba village, approximately 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) from the capital Nairobi.

Siaya police chief Kleti Kimaiyo confirmed the deaths to Anadolu. "I can confirm seven people have lost their lives in this unfortunate incident. Seven others were rescued by a team of locals who were the first responders along with rescue teams," he said. The injured were rushed to the Bondo Sub-county Hospital.

Ben Bera, the regional mining officer for the Siaya area, attributed the frequent mine collapses in the region to artisanal miners' disregard for safety protocols.

"Many artisanal miners do not follow the necessary safety guidelines, which leads to these tragic accidents. We must enforce stricter regulations to ensure the safety of our miners," he told Anadolu.

In a similar incident in May, an informal gold mine collapsed in Marsabit County, claiming the lives of five miners.