Police are investigating the death of 64-year-old Donald Gouveia, a gold miner, who succumbed to injuries after a mining pit collapsed at Micobie backdam, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) on June 13.
Gouveia resided at Subryanville, Georgetown.
According to the police report, Gouveia and three others were working in a mining pit made up of sandy soil. Police said the pit is about 60 feet in diameter and 70 feet in depth.
“The portion of the pit wall that caved in, had covered 15 feet of the depth. At the time Donald was jetting, when the western pit wall collapsed and caved in, and in the process covered him,” the police reported noted.
His co-workers were partly covered; Keith James (above his waist), Frencivaldo Santos (above his chest area) and Junior Daniels (just above his knees).
They were assisted by other workers, including Mark Gouveia; James, Santos and Daniels managed to free themselves without any injury.
However, the elderly man was taken out of the pit in an unconscious state and had an injury above his left eye.
Police said he was rushed to Micobie Health Center after which he was immediately referred to the Mahdia District Hospital.
Upon his arrival at the Mahdia Hospital, he was pronounced dead. The man’s body is now at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination.
