Two men have died while three others were injured when a deep well they were repairing collapsed in Deke village, Maramba Pfungwe, Mashonaland East Province.

What started as a noble mission to assist fellow villagers from perennial water challenges in Maramba Pfungwe turned tragic for five men when a deep well they were repairing collapsed yesterday.

Mashonaland East Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident saying the concrete slab they were standing on cracked and gave in, resulting in the five men falling into the 14-metre deep well.

Three of them were rescued by fellow villagers while the other two could not make it. Of the three injured, two have been discharged from hospital while the other is still admitted.

“The incident occurred around 4pm when we decided to repair the well which is one of our water sources when the concrete slab gave in resulting in all of us falling into the well,” said one of the survivors, Fambisai Sakawenga.

Maramba Pfungwe legislator, Cde Tichaona Karumazondo and Senator Address Matirira who visited the injured, appealed to government to assist in addressing the perennial water challenges in the area.

“We are appealing to the government to capacitate the DDF so that they can drill boreholes in our area which has been facing water shortages for years,” said Karumazondo.

The deceased have been identified as George Kareku aged 53 and Israel Mukara aged 49, both from Deke village.

-State Media