Miner, 20, dies in Pepper Camp pit collapse

A 20-year-old miner died  on Monday afternoon after he was pinned down by a rock when the wall of the mining pit he was working in collapsed at Pepper Camp Backdam, Upper Mazaruni River.

Dead is Ken Ranny, a resident of Kamarang, Warawatta, Upper Mazaruni River

The incident occurred around 2 pm on Monday.

Stabroek News understands that at the time of the incident Ranny was clearing a drain when the southern wall of the pit collapsed. As a result, a rock fell and pinned him.

Upon being alerted, Ranny’s colleagues rushed to his assistance but were unable to extricate him.  By the time he was rescued, he was motionless. He was rushed to the Kamarang Health Centre where he was pronounced dead by a medex on duty.

Several inquiries have been held into the deaths of miners in pit collapses and there are meant to be rigorous checks of  mining pits by officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.