Gold miner dies in Pongkor

BOGOR (JP): A traditional gold miner died at Pongkor mine in the Nanggung district of Bogor on Friday night after smoke enveloped workers in the mine shaft.

It is not yet known whether the miner died of respiratory problems or if he was stampeded to death by miners fleeing the smoke, an official from the Nanggung military office said on Saturday.

The victim, identified as 28-year-old Sunardi, went digging in the mine shaft with some 100 other people when the incident occurred, the source said.

"As the group dug deeper into the ground, suddenly a thick smoke shrouded the shaft," the source said.

The miners began to have trouble breathing and fled from the shaft in a panic, the source said.

The traditional gold miners visited the office of state-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang, which is the owner of the area, later in the day, accusing the company of arson, he said.

"The miners thought the company set a fire on purpose and let the smoke fill the shaft to force the illegal workers off the property," the military source said.

Authorities managed to calm the situation and the miners eventually left the company.

"But to prevent any further incidents, security personnel from the nearby police precinct and military have been alerted," the source said.

There are two groups of gold miners -- the Bogor and Lebak -- who claim the Pongkor mine area as their own.

The groups have been involved in several clashes, but on Wednesday they agreed to make peace to avoid further conflicts. (24/edt)