Tragic borehole mishap claims lives of two men in Chipinge town
In a devastating incident that unfolded in Chipinge town, two men tragically lost their lives during a borehole drilling operation gone wrong. The unfortunate incident occurred when the victims inadvertently inhaled a dangerous gas while working underground.
Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, the Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, confirmed the incident, which took place in the Kelvin suburb of Chipinge three weeks ago. This unfortunate event happened just two months after a similar incident claimed the lives of two individuals in Chisumbanje, where dangerous gas inhalation occurred during a borehole drilling process in Marega Village.
Providing details on the incident, Assistant Inspector Chinyoka revealed that Kelvin Takesure Mhlanga (29) and Farai Masvotore (42) from St Kelvin Farm had been contracted by Mr Enock Khosa to drill a borehole on his property.
“I can confirm that on December 16 while drilling a borehole, the duo encountered a hard rock surface when they reached the 21-metres level. They decided to use explosives to blast the rock and resume work on December 18,” explained Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
Tragedy struck on December 18 when Mhlanga entered the borehole and was suddenly overcome by a noxious gas, causing him to struggle to breathe. Recognizing the dire situation, he urgently called for assistance.
Masvotore, his colleague, bravely entered the borehole in an attempt to rescue Mhlanga. However, both men tragically succumbed to the toxic gas, resulting in the loss of their lives.
Mr Khosa promptly reported the incident to the police, leading to the retrieval of the bodies, which were subsequently conveyed to Chipinge District Hospital mortuary.
In light of this heartbreaking incident, Assistant Inspector Chinyoka issued a plea to the public, urging them to refrain from using hazardous explosives during borehole drilling operations.
