At least 38 people have been killed and many others injured following a gas explosion at a lead mining site in central Nigeria’s Plateau State.
The incident occurred on Wednesday morning at a site operated by Solid Mining Company in the Zurak community of Wase Local Government Area, affecting mainly miners working underground.
Preliminary reports showed that an accumulation of toxic gases, believed to be carbon monoxide, triggered the explosion in underground tunnels during peak operations.
Local tribal authorities described the scene as “catastrophic.” Aliyu Adamu Idris, the acting district head, told local media that most of the victims were young men aged 20 to 35.
“It is a dark day for our community. We have lost 38 of our energetic youths to this tragedy, leaving many families in mourning,” Idris said.
Alfred Alabo, police spokesperson in Plateau, said security personnel had been deployed to cordon off the site while authorities finalize a detailed briefing on the incident.
The Wase Youth Leader, Shafi Sambo, who confirmed the incident during an interview with Channels Television, said he received an early-morning distress call regarding the occurrence.
“It happened at a mining site in Company Zurak, Wase Local Government. We got information that the miners dug deep into the ground and were exposed to a gas that killed 37 of them instantly,” Sambo said.
He noted that several other miners were rescued alive and rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention, although the exact number of survivors could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
According to Sambo, the affected youths were mining zinc on behalf of a company believed to be a Chinese-owned firm operating in the area. However, the exact nature of the mineral being extracted had not been officially confirmed.
In response to the incident, troops of the Nigerian Army were deployed to the site. Sambo said the soldiers cordoned off the area to prevent further access and possible exposure.
“The army has since gone there and cordoned off the place to stop people from having access and also to stop the spread,” he added.
As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official statement from the mining company or relevant state authorities.
