UPDATE; Family calls for full probe into recent mining pit accident

By Leroy Smith

The family of a 33-year-old father of two is calling for a full probe into the accident which cost his life on Saturday, October 08, 2016.

 

Keon Wilson was killed on Saturday when walls of a mining pit in which he was working at Rock Creek, Puruni, collapsed, pinning him down. He was later pulled from the rubble and taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

 

Wilson was a father of two girls, ages 1 and 3.

 

News Room this morning spoke to the man’s sister, Abena Wilson at her Lot 61 Block ‘X’ Anns Grove Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (E.C.D) home.

Sister; Abena Wilson

 

She noted that the family received the tragic news on Saturday evening at about 18:30 hrs “saying that the pit caved in on Keon Wilson. That’s my brother but we didn’t get any confirmation, I just get a call from my cousin and she told me that. So we go and find out and they say they don’t know either so I guess they were trying to get him out before they call.”

 

“They later say he get covered…they didn’t say if he had anyone else working with him at the time…we want to know how come he working with them and only he alone this thing happen to because they saying that is a used land that was abandoned before and probably now open back, ” she added.

 

The woman also related that one of her nephews was at the location however he left five days prior in protest of the conditions under which they were working.

 

Abena said that there were times that she encouraged her brother to stay out of the mining locations but he insisted that he needed to return so that he can secure monies to achieve certain goals.

 

His mother Monica Charles recalled the final moments she had with her son before he left home about six weeks ago.

 

 

“Is hay he leff from the day and say he going the night. Before he left fo go…when he going down the step, he seh when ah go in deh…ah gon send a $50, 000 fo yuh and me tell he ‘man you always, go duh side” she related.

 

Keon Wilson was expected home today.

 

Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

 

(Photo caption; Keon Wilson and one of his daughters)