Essequibo Coast man dies in mining pit cave-in

A 51-year-old Essequibo Coast man is now dead after a mining pit he was working in caved in on Sunday at Barama Region One.

James Emanuel Goddette died following the incident which occurred around 10 am on Sunday.

Eon Calvan, the brother of the dead man, said his brother and two other men were working in the pit when the incident occurred.

James Emanuel Goddette
James Emanuel Goddette

“I got a call saying that the pit my brother was working in cave in on him and squeeze him causing his bones to break. There was other people there at the time and they took him out to rush him to the hospital but according to what I hear, he died when they reach the Pomeroon River Mouth area,” Calvan said.

He said that from the information he received, his brother had moved a stone. “The pit that he went in, water does seep in and after he move the stone, everything just give way and fall on he. The pit is big so the other two boys that was working, was on the next side so they ain get hurt,” he added.

Goddette, a father of seven sons and three daughters was pronounced dead by doctors at the Suddie Public Hospital where his body is awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Police in the North West District are investigating the matter.