Nine men died when a large pile of gravel collapsed on them as they were working at an illegal quarry in Chongwe, Zambia, local authorities reported. The incident occurred on Sunday, August 25, 2024, approximately 31 miles east of the capital, Lusaka, as the workers were loading gravel onto a truck.
The tragedy happened when a section of the quarry wall, weakened by continuous excavation, gave way as the men shoveled gravel into the truck. As they worked, the sheer weight of the loose gravel on the unstable slope caused it to collapse suddenly. The men were entirely caught off guard, and within seconds, they were buried under tons of debris. The truck, positioned near the base of the slope to receive the gravel, was also partially buried under the avalanche of rubble.
This was not the first time a quarry operating outside legal regulations had experienced a deadly accident in this area. Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed that the men were working without proper authorization. The truck driver survived the collapse but sustained injuries and was taken to a hospital.
Rescue operations began shortly after the collapse but were suspended due to challenging conditions at the site as night fell. By Sunday evening, eight bodies had been recovered. On Monday, a ninth body was pulled from the rubble, bringing the total death toll to nine. All the deceased are thought to be between 20-30 years old.
Chongwe District Commissioner Evans Lupiya confirmed that the men and the truck were completely buried under the gravel. The police have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse.
In response to the incident, Lusaka Province Minister Sheal Mulyata visited the site and expressed her condolences to the victims’ families. Mulyata also directed the Chongwe Council and District Administration to ban all illegal quarry mining activities in the region to prevent further loss of life.
This tragedy is part of a broader pattern of fatal accidents in Zambia’s informal mining sector. In December 2023, nearly 30 “informal miners” lost their lives when a landslide buried them at an open-pit copper mine in the northern part of the country.
As the investigation into the Chongwe quarry disaster continues, Zambian authorities are under increasing pressure to address the systemic issues contributing to such tragedies. The government’s efforts to eliminate illegal mining operations aim to enhance worker safety and prevent further fatalities.