At least one person has died and several others were injured after an artisanal gold mine collapsed near the town of Kintinian, about 25 kilometres from Siguiri in northeastern Guinea, according to local officials and eyewitnesses.
The accident occurred at the Barrière artisanal mining site, where dozens of informal miners were working when a sudden landslide sent soil and debris crashing into a mining shaft.
Authorities say the casualty figures remain provisional as rescue teams continue searching the area for possible victims who may still be trapped beneath the collapsed earth.
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Sudden Landslide Triggers Panic
Witnesses at the site said the collapse happened without warning, sparking panic among miners working in the pit.
One survivor, Souleymane Keïta, described hearing a loud sound just moments before the ground gave way.
“There was a big noise, and everyone started running,” he said, recalling the chaos that followed as some workers managed to escape while others were buried under the rubble.
The collapse also trapped several motorised tricycles used by miners to transport soil and equipment from the site.
Casualty Toll May Rise
Local authorities confirmed that at least one person had been killed and several others injured in the incident.
Brema Camara, president of the Fatoya 1 district, said the current death toll remains provisional.
“The provisional toll stands at one dead and five injured,” Camara said, adding that rescue teams are still working to determine whether more miners remain trapped underground.
Heavy machinery has been deployed to assist with the rescue operation as workers attempt to clear the collapsed earth and locate survivors.
Safety Risks in Artisanal Mining
The region around Siguiri is one of Guinea’s most active gold-producing areas and hosts a large number of artisanal mining operations.
Artisanal mining plays a crucial role in the local economy, providing livelihoods for thousands of people who rely on small-scale gold extraction.
However, the largely informal nature of the sector often results in dangerous working conditions, limited regulatory oversight, and frequent accidents.
Mining experts say collapses, landslides and tunnel cave-ins are common risks in artisanal gold mining across West Africa, where miners often work without proper safety equipment or structural support in excavation pits.
The latest accident highlights ongoing concerns about safety in the region’s rapidly expanding small-scale mining industry, where economic opportunity often comes with significant risks for workers.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
