Illegal gold mine collapse in Colombia leaves 14 dead and 7 injured
Authorities reported 14 deaths and 7 injuries in a mine collapse in southwestern Colombia, as Nariño’s governor urged faster formalization of mining operations.
Santa Barbara de Iscuande, Colombia. Local authorities said on Monday that an illegal gold mine had collapsed in southwestern Colombia, killing 14 people and injuring 7.
Rescue efforts completed
The collapse occurred in Chambero, a rural sector within the municipality of Santa Barbara de Iscuande in Nariño province. Nariño Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar said the search and rescue effort had ended.
Escobar urged the national government, the National Mining Agency and the Ministry of Mines and Energy to speed up formalization for miners operating illegally and on a small scale, with the aim of improving workplace conditions and safety standards.
Another fatal accident in Nariño
A similar mining accident killed 13 people in August in Policarpa, another town in Nariño.
Mining outside formal and regulatory frameworks is widespread across rural Colombia. Such operations frequently lack sufficient safety infrastructure, contributing to recurring fatal accidents.
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