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Three artisanal miners have died following suspected exposure to toxic gases at Wanderer Mine’s Coconut Shaft in Shurugwi, Midlands Province, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
Police confirmed that Francis Manokwe, 36, Lloyd Muza, 33, and Ishmael Msipa, 37, were mining gold underground when the incident occurred on Thursday morning.
Investigators suspect the three inhaled toxic fumes believed to have been generated by mining explosives.
Their 18-year-old colleague had reportedly left the underground workings to buy food. When he returned, he found the three men unresponsive inside the shaft.
Local authorities and fellow miners responded to the incident and helped retrieve the bodies. They were taken to Shurugwi District Hospital mortuary as investigations continued to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths.
While investigations will determine the precise cause of the Shurugwi deaths, the incident comes against a backdrop of persistent safety concerns in Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector, where gassing and the use of explosives remain significant underground hazards.
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Sixty-four miners died in mining accidents during the first quarter of 2026, according to figures previously reported by Mining Zimbabwe. Gassing and the improper use of explosives accounted for 25 percent of the fatalities.
The latest deaths also come shortly after mine ventilation professionals renewed calls for stronger safety practices in smaller underground operations, where effective airflow is critical to clearing contaminated air and making workings safe for miners.
At the Mine Ventilation Society of Zimbabwe conference held in Bulawayo last month, industry experts emphasised the need for improved ventilation expertise and safety practices in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, particularly in underground operations.
The concern is particularly relevant following blasting, when fumes can accumulate in confined workings if adequate ventilation and safe re-entry procedures are not observed.
Authorities have urged miners to comply with mine safety requirements as investigations into the Shurugwi incident continue.