A 19-year-old man died while two others sustained serious injuries after a section of Kapken quarry in Konoin, Bomet County, caved in on Monday evening.
According to Bomet County disaster management officer Stanley Mutai, the victims were harvesting fine sand from rocks that had recently rolled down a cliff when the ground gave way, trapping them inside.
“They were collecting sand deep within the rocks when the cave-in occurred, leaving them with no escape route,” Mutai said.
Witnesses raised the alarm, drawing nearby residents to the scene. Rescue efforts were coordinated by police and county disaster response teams, who managed to pull out two survivors. They were rushed to Longisa County Referral Hospital, while the body of the deceased was taken to the facility’s mortuary.
Konoin sub-county administrator Richard Terer confirmed the quarry sits on private land and has been operating illegally. He further noted that miners often access the site without proper safety equipment, heightening the risks.
By Paul Ruto
