Peru: 27 dead after fire breaks out in gold mine
At least 27 workers were killed, and 175 evacuated safely after a fire broke out in a small gold mine in southern Peru on Sunday.
Peru: At least 27 workers have died after a fire broke out in a small gold mine in southern Peru on Sunday. According to reports, this is the country’s single deadliest mining accident in more than two decades.
The Yanaquihua mining company said in a statement that a total of 175 workers had been evacuated safely after the incident. It said the 27 dead worked for a contractor that specialised in mining.
The cause of the incident is under investigation, officials said. According to some news reports, explosions might have been set off by a short circuit in a part of the mine about 100 metres below the surface.
The mine is operated by Yanaquihua, a small firm. But the firm has not commented on the incident yet.
As per a local prosecutor, Giovanni Matos told reporters on Sunday, “It’s been confirmed by the Yanaquihua police station that there are 27 dead.”
According to data from Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines, the incident is the single deadliest mining accident since 2000.
In 2022, at least 38 people were killed in mining accidents around the country. Peru had its deadliest year in 2002 when 73 people died in different mining accidents.
Ms Kalinga