Quarry cave leaves two dead in Meru

By , K24 Digital
On Tue, 14 Sep, 2021 17:11 | < 1 min read
Police probe murder of truck d river killed along Thika road.
Police probe murder of truck d river killed along Thika road. PHOTO/Internet

Two people have been reported dead after a quarry cave in Kiguchwa, Tigania Meru county.

The two, Damaris Nkirote,30, and James Kobia,42, were among five others who were harvesting stones at Nthonki quarry when the tragedy struck.

Speaking to K24 Digital, John Mwenda a resident, termed the incident as scary since four others had lost their lives in the same quarry a month ago.

"This deadly quarry has now killed more than ten people in a span of one year. Last month we lost four people who were also working here after the quarry caved in and now it sad we have lost two others," Mwenda noted.

Confirming the incident area police boss Nickson Makokha advised locals to avoid the quarry which has become a death trap.

" We have received information that the said quarry has now lead to many deaths and I'm pleading with the locals to shun from working in that area," the OCPD noted.

He added that three others escaped death by a whisker but sustained minor injuries.

In July it was reported that a class six pupil, his father and two women died after the same quarry caved in.

Last year two others on two different occasions are said to have lost their lives while harvesting stones in the quarry.

According to residents, most of the people who go to extract stones in the quarry are school-going children.

" If you come here on weekends most of the people you find are school-going children some of whom are accompanied by their parents while others come here alone to look for money to pay their school fees," they said.

The quarry which has since been closed has been a source of income for hundreds of people from the locality.