MASERU — The police are investigating a brick moulding company in Quthing after two of its employees died on May 23 when a sand concave they were working in collapsed and buried them.
Quthing district police commander Mofokeng Kolo said Rapelang Masiu, 21, and Teboho Seutloali 34, were mining sand along the Sebapala River bank when a concave they had created suddenly gave in and buried them alive.
Kolo said the two were working with their colleagues around 3 pm when the accident occurred.
“Their colleagues tried to rescue them but by the time they managed to remove the soil covering them they were already dead,” said Kolo.
Local villagers and police had also joined the rescue efforts.
The victims’ bodies were eventually pulled at around 6 pm.
Kolo said in March a group of workers from the same firm narrowly escaped death after they were trapped by a sand concave that collapsed in similar circumstances.
He said after the incident police warned the company director, Pusetso Khafisi, to stop mining sand from that place.
The police now want Kahifisi to answer why he had continued operating in the area despite their warnings.
Investigations are still ongoing.
Khafisi might be charged with culpable homicide.
