At Least 15 Die After Dam Collapse at Gold Mine

A criminal investigation is now underway
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 19, 2019 8:15 AM CDT
At Least 15 Die After Dam Collapse at Gold Mine
A view after the collapse during heavy rain occurred near the village of Shchetinkino, in the Krasnoyarsk region of Russia on Saturday.   (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations press service via AP)

At least 15 gold miners in a remote part of Siberia were killed Saturday when a dam collapsed on their encampment, per Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations. Bloomberg and Reuters report that 13 people are still said to be missing after the early-morning calamity in the Krasnoyarsk region, which took place after a bout of heavy rains weakened the dam. Local officials tell the Interfax news agency that about 80 miners were sleeping in temporary shelters on-site, while an environmental watchdog notes that the dam wasn't registered and was illegal. The BBC notes that residents in a nearby village have been evacuated due to high water levels and flooding. A criminal investigation has been launched into possible safety violations at the site, which was tended to by miners employed by the private company Sibzoloto. (More Russia stories.)

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