At least 37 miners have died in a suspected carbon monoxide leak at an underground mining site in Zurak, Wase LGA of Plateau State, in what is shaping up as a devastating Plateau mining tragedy.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Tuesday while the miners were carrying out routine operations deep inside the tunnels.
According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the victims mostly young men aged between 20 and 35 inhaled toxic fumes that suddenly filled the underground shafts. Eyewitnesses said several miners collapsed inside the tunnels before help could reach them.
Twenty-five other workers were rushed to a nearby medical facility for urgent treatment.
Joyce Ramnap, Plateau State commissioner for information, confirmed the incident but said the government was still verifying the exact casualty figures.
Police sources disclosed that the mining site has been secured to prevent further exposure and to enable investigators determine the cause of the suspected gas leak.
Photographs from the scene showed bodies covered in white, powdery substances, raising further concerns about safety standards at informal mining sites.
Research by the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that underground miners face exposure to hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide, often generated by fires or poor ventilation.
The Mayo Clinic explains that excessive carbon monoxide in the air reduces oxygen supply in the bloodstream, potentially leading to fatal consequences within minutes.
The tragedy has renewed scrutiny over mine safety practices in Plateau and across Nigeria, where informal and poorly regulated mining operations remain widespread.
