Police in the Wamala Region have cautioned residents working in stone quarries to exercise extreme caution, especially during the ongoing rainy season, following a deadly quarry collapse in Mityana District.
According to Wamala Regional Police spokesperson Lameck Kigozi, the district environment office had previously inspected the quarry where the accident occurred and warned residents about the potential dangers associated with continued stone excavation at the site.
Kigozi explained that despite the warnings issued by environmental authorities, some residents continued to dig stones from the quarry without putting in place proper safety measures.
“The district environment office had earlier inspected this quarry and cautioned the people who were excavating stones there,” Kigozi said. “Unfortunately, the advice was not taken seriously, which has now resulted in a tragic incident.”
Police say the danger has been further heightened by the ongoing heavy rains, which weaken soil structures and increase the likelihood of quarry walls collapsing.
Kigozi warned that poorly excavated quarries with loose and hanging soil are particularly risky during the rainy season.
“We want to caution our people, especially during this period of heavy rainfall,” he said. “Such quarries are extremely dangerous to those working in them because the soil can easily collapse and cause fatal accidents.”
The police spokesperson noted that similar incidents have been reported before, emphasizing that the recent tragedy should serve as a strong warning to residents involved in quarrying activities.
“This is not the first time we are witnessing such incidents,” Kigozi said. “We therefore appeal to people working in quarries to be very careful, especially in sites that are poorly excavated and have loose soil.”
Authorities are urging quarry workers and community members to heed safety advice from environmental officials and local leaders to avoid further loss of life.
