Two teens buried alive at murram extraction site

Kyotera, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two teenagers were buried alive at a murram extraction site in Sanje village, Kasasa sub-county, Kyotera district on Monday evening. The dead are 16-year-old Lawrence Ssentongo and 15-year-old Asiat Namatovu.

Although they are said to be students, details about their schools are still unknown. It is said that the two were dating for some time when they decided to have quality time together away from their known residence.

They had gone to the mine for a photo shoot and decided to go to a deeper hollow section of the mine, which had weakened due to the most recent heavy down pour. A boda boda cyclist who took them to the site told URN that the mine suddenly caved in, few minutes into the photo shoot.

He made an alarm that attracted residents to the scene. They tried digging up the bodies in vain until police arrived and retrieved them. Denis Muyunga, the Kasaka LC III chairperson, attributed the incident to the prolonged coronavirus pandemic that has kept children out of school and led the majority of them into temptation.

He says that two minors were terribly crushed and there was no chance to save them. Muyunga explains that they have always warned miners to stay away from the mines during the rainy season but some residents have defied the warning.

Muhammad Nsubuga, the Southern Regional Police spokesperson told URN that the deceased’s bodies are lying at Kakuuto health centre IV pending post-mortem as investigations continue.

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URN