By MN Reporter

Gold traders at Osiri-Matanda mines in Nyatike sub-county are counting loses after properties of unknown value were gutted down on Saturday afternoon.

Over at the mines were burnt down after fire started in the afternoon, Osiri-Matanda goldmine chairman Kephas Ojuka said.

“Many traders have lost their property in the afternoon inferno whose cause is yet to be established,” Ojuka said.

He added that they mobilized the locals who help them put out the fire after county disaster response team failed to respond on time.

‘Though we managed to control the fire we had the main challenge of accessing the scene because poor access roads” he said.

“We appeal to the county government of Migori to help improve roads within Osiri-Matanda gold mine,” Ojuka said.

His sentiments were echoed by the miners’ secretary Peter Onyango who has appealed to the government to help the people who have been affected by the fire.

“We call on the county government of Migori to improve on their disaster response mechanism and come to our aid,” Onyango said.