Three gold miners died on Saturday evening while one is still recuperating at a local hospital after carbon monoxide poisoning at Owiro mines in Migori county.
Trouble started when miners used super powered water pumps to empty a mine in Owiro area, Upper Bala sub-location in Nyatike.
Area Assistant Chief Victor Ominde told the Star a miner descended into the mine to start extraction when the accident occurred.
“The miner complained of suffocating while in the mine, two other people including the owner of the mine identified as George Odhiambo tried to save him,” Ominde said.
The two also died, while the last person, a 15-year-old KCPE candidate at Owiro Primary School, was saved by others who came in to rescue them.
Ominde said the candidate came late and tried to help the others before the fumes overwhelmed him.
The candidate was rushed to Sori Lake where he is in a stable condition while the bodies were taken by police to Migori Referral Hopital mortuary in Migori town.
