14 killed in collapse at illegal gold mine in Nariño, Colombia
Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar urged national authorities to speed legalization and improve safety after the Chambero mine collapse.
Fourteen people were killed and seven were injured when an illegal gold mine collapsed in southwestern Colombia, local authorities reported.
The accident took place in the rural area of Chambero, in the municipality of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé, in the department of Nariño. Search-and-rescue operations have concluded, Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar said.
Calls for faster legalization and safety improvements
Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar urged the national government, the National Mining Agency and the Ministry of Mines and Energy to expedite the process of legalizing informal mines so working conditions and safety standards can be improved.
Officials noted that similar tragedies have occurred in the region: in August this year, 13 people died in a comparable collapse in the town of Policarpa, also in Nariño.
Illegal and unregulated extraction of minerals is widespread in Colombia’s rural areas and frequently lacks adequate safety infrastructure, contributing to repeated deadly accidents.
Photo: press material from the event
