A Hoisting Crew member of Shaanxi Mining Company at Gbane in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, who was killed in an underground accident on Friday, October 19, has been laid to rest today, October 25; management of the Company has announced.
The deceased, Baan Kolbil was crashed under the mines, while he was trying to open the pocket at the shaft bottom of the mines for ore to be loaded into it for hoisting.
The Public Relations Officer of Shaanxi Mining Company, Maxwell Wooma, confirmed the incident saying, it was an unfortunate situation, which he said was an accident.
He said the incident was reported to the Mineral Commission and the Inspection Directorate of the Commission has conducted it investigation from Sunday October 21 to October 23 and Management is waiting for the investigation findings.
Narrating the fact, the Public Relation Officer in a Statement said on October 19, 2018, the company recorded an underground accident involving only Baan Kolbil. Mr. Kolbil was one of the company hoisting crew who were performing normal duties at Vertical Shaft 4, Level 7.
The deceased was to open the pocket at the shaft bottom for ore to be loaded into it, for hoisting. In the course of their schedule, the bucket was returning from surface after a tip. The Supervisor of the crew returned to Level 7 in the bucket and alighted at the station. Mr. Kolbil, being the last man at the tail board (pocket), alerted his Supervisor to ring the bell for the cage to be lowered into the tail board for ore loading.
In the normal schedule, Mr. Kolbil was to only open the chute for ore to pass into the bucket and be hoisted.
According to his Supervisor, he rang the bell to be lowered as demanded by Mr. Kolbil and began to walk to supervise other members of his working gang above the pocket. Shortly after the bucket was lowered, he heard Mr. Kolbil screaming from the bottom of the shaft.
Upon realizing he was pressed down by the same bucket he had called for, the Supervisor called for the bucket to be lifted and subsequently together with a rescue team, brought him to the surface. The matter was reported to Management and he was subsequently rushed to the Regional Hospital, Bolgatanga for treatment. Unfortunately, he was confirmed dead before arrival.
Management of Shaanxi says it has been working cordially with the family of the deceased to get his mortal remaining buried and will ensure full compensation is paid the family.
Meanwhile, a Community Activist at Gbane, John Yaro, has said that, the accident was just the immediate cause, but suspects that, it was part of a ritual killings, saying, the deaths associated with the operations of Shaanxi is not normal, hence the need for an independent investigation into the operation of the Chinese Mining Support Company.
Source:a1radioonline.com/101.1MHz/Ghana
