3 Minors Dead After Falling Into Open Quarry In Juja

KIAMBU, Kenya, May, 5 – A sombre mood has engulfed Muthaara village in Juja, Kiambu County after three children drowned in an open quarry on Tuesday evening.

According to preliminary reports, the three boys had been playing in the area when they fell into the ditch said to be at least 30 feet deep. They were aged between seven and 10 years old.

Residents say that the exact quarry had been temporarily abandoned after it flooded as a result of the ongoing rain. They however accused the mining company of failing to secure the area since it posed safety risks to residents.

“One child came to me and told me children had fallen into the quarry, I went there and found that int was the case. “One had floated to the top as he had something strapped on his waist, the other two were deep inside the quarry. I immediately shouted for help,” said Margret Wairimu, local resident.

Local divers quickly arrived at the scene and assisted in retrieving the bodies of the other children.

“Someone dived in and found one body…other divers came in later and retrieved the other body,” she further said.

The open quarries are said to pose safety risks not only to human beings but also to animals that graze in the area. The environment of the area is also said to have seriously been affected as a result of the mining.

Despite numerous reports being filed at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)  as well as local police, no action has been taken according to residents.

“We are being oppressed because someone has dug a trench about 30 feet and hasn’t put any protective boundaries around this area,” said a resident.

Last year three people died within the same area after a quarry wall caved in.