On the morning of the incident, 41 schoolchildren were about to start lessons in their primary school classroom when the floor suddenly gave way due to ground subsidence caused by illegal small-scale mining activities in the area.
Fortunately, the desks and chairs in the classroom went in first and prevented further injury by closing the gaping hole.
14 children were injured in the collapse, while 4 more were injured when they panicked and jumped out through the windows of adjacent classrooms. All the children were taken to the hospital but thank-fully discharged by the end of the day.
Speaking at the Mine Rescue Association of Zimbabwe, Chief Government Mining Engineer (CGME) Michael Munodawafa emphasized that it is essential to provide mine rescue teams with suitable gear to enable them to respond efficiently to emergencies.
“…we urge your association to get equipped with the appropriate equipment that will enable you to attend effectively to emergencies and rescue operations involving, among other hazards, inundated mine environments.
The incident highlights the need for closer cooperation and collaboration between the Mines inspectorate and mine rescue associations in planning and attending to mine emergencies and rescue operations. It also underscores the need for equipping mine rescue teams with appropriate equipment for effective response to emergencies and rescue operations involving hazards such as inundated mine environments.