Mine Accident Kills 39 in Tanzania

By Morgan Beard · Editor-in-Chief

MERERANI, TANZANIA — Thirty-nine people died in an accident at the tanzanite mines of Mererani, Tanzania on June 20.

Mining was temporarily halted when it was discovered that an oxygen compressor in one of the mines had failed, leaving the miners to suffocate to death. Thirty-two miners were registered to work there, and several additional men went into the mine in an attempt to rescue them. None of the would-be rescuers survived.

The government sent in a task force a day after the accident to help recover the bodies, finally calling off the search five days later when it believed all the bodies had been found.

In recent years, tanzanite mines have gotten deeper and deeper in an attempt to locate more of the precious gem; to assist in breathing, miners generally use a long hose and an air compressor to pump oxygen to the work area. The mine where the accident took place was reported to be 125 meters (410 feet) deep vertically and 300 meters (985 feet) long horizontally.

Read the original story: 30 Presumed Dead in Tanzanite Mining Accident.

Posted: July 17, 2002