Bridge Collapse at Congo Mine Kills at Least 32
A bridge at the Kalando mine, a copper-and-cobalt mining site in Lualaba province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, collapsed on Saturday, killing at least 32 people, provincial officials confirmed. The collapse occurred when dozens of miners flocked to the narrow, makeshift structure and it gave way, sending many into a flooded trench.
Sequence of Events
Authorities said the site had been declared off-limits due to heavy rainfall and landslide risk, but hundreds of miners had forced entry. According to investigators, panic followed when military personnel on site reportedly fired shots, prompting a rush onto the bridge, which then failed under the overload. A government mining agency report suggested the toll could reach 40.
Wider Implications
This incident highlights the hazardous working conditions in informal mining operations in the Congo, a country that supplies a large share of the world’s cobalt—a critical component for electric-vehicle batteries. The tragedy also underscores the broader issue of safety oversight and regulation in artisanal mining zones. Regional authorities have suspended operations at Kalando and launched an inquiry into the circumstances of the collapse.
