Four Illegal Miners Die In Uzbek Shaft From Toxic Fume Inhalation

Four men died in northern Uzbekistan after inhaling toxic fumes in a mineshaft while digging for gold illegally, the regional prosecutor's office said on Tuesday

TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd June, 2021) Four men died in northern Uzbekistan after inhaling toxic fumes in a mineshaft while digging for gold illegally, the regional prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

"Four people died at the site as a result of gas intoxication, while three others were taken to a regional hospital," a statement read.

Prosecutors in the Central Asian nation's Navoiy region said the seven illegal miners used a diesel generator to light up the shaft and inhaled its exhaust fumes.

The former Soviet republic saw a gold rush after the Soviet Union collapsed. The government said in 2018 that illegal mining and related casualties were on the rise. Two men died and two others were hurt after a mineshaft collapsed in January.