Miner, 37, dies after mining pit allegedly caves in at Sand Hill Backdam

Thirty-seven-year-old Omar Oselmo of North West District, Region One, met his demise on Thursday after the mining pit he was working in allegedly collapsed.

The Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) said the incident occurred at about 18:00h at Sand Hill Backdam, Cuyuni River.

“When Police ranks visited the scene, the body was seen in an old dug-out pit next to a wall of sand which appeared to have collapsed,” the CCU said.

The CCU noted that Oselmo was employed by a mining operation at Sandhill Backdam.

Oselmo’s co-workers told investigators that at about 16:00h, they finished working and went to their camp. However, at about 18:00h, the victim returned to the work ground to “punt,” and suddenly, the walls of the pit caved in on him, trapping him in the process.

His co-workers heard his scream and rushed to his assistance, but they did not see him. As a result, they began digging the pit and later found his motionless body beneath the sand.