Sand wall collapses, buries 2 alive as 1 survives
By Thandizo Banda
TWO young men have died after being buried alive when a sand wall collapsed at a building sand excavation site in Kamaila Area in Chisamba District, Central Province.
One man survived.
Central Province police commanding officer Lemekani Chirwa identified the dead as Daniel Phiri, 21, and Mukuwe Mbao, 26, both of Kamaila Area.
The survivor, Simbao Mulenga, is currently admitted to Chisamba Rural Health Centre.
The incident happened between 03:00 hours and 06:00 hours yesterday.
“According to a report made at Chisamba Police Station at about 09:30 hours by Raphael Phiri, 50, a peasant farmer and father to one of the deceased, his son and seven others went to the sand site around 03:00 hours to dig building sand for a client who had come from 22 Miles with a tipper truck,” Chirwa said.
“Those present were Daniel Zulu, Mathews Mwaba, Shadreck Mulenga, Lazarus Sichilima, Mainza Mwiinga, Thomas Mukuwe and Simbao Mulenga,” he said.
Chirwa said while Daniel Phiri and Mukuwe Mbao were inside the deeply excavated area, a portion of the wall suddenly collapsed and buried them.
At about 06:00 hours, Daniel Zulu rushed to the village and informed Raphael Phiri and David Mbao, father to the other victim.
Fellow workers, relatives and community members mobilised and dug frantically to retrieve the victims, who were found unconscious with no signs of life.
It was later discovered that Simbao Mulenga was also trapped underneath.
He was found still breathing.
All three were rushed to Chisamba Rural Health Centre where Phiri and Mbao were pronounced dead, while Mulenga was admitted.
Police who visited the scene found a large area had been excavated and one of the embankments had caved inward into the pit.
Phiri suffered a suspected fractured back and legs while Mbao had a suspected head fracture.
The bodies are in Chisamba mortuary pending postmortem to establish the actual cause of death.
Community members have been advised to stay away from the excavation area to prevent the loss of more lives and to preserve the scene.
Investigations are ongoing.
