Mother recounts anguish and relief experienced after mine collapse

Altagracia Montero did not know about collapse for an emergency call or for the news. He found out when he saw his son cross the door of the house, covered in dust and with shock still marked on his face.

The twelve noon of the Thursdayminutes after collapse occurred in the mine of materials known as “ancient mine Milito” in the municipality of San Gregorio de Nigua, province Saint Christopher.

Luis Miguel Pimentel Monteroof 19 yearsis the truck driver who managed to escape alive from the collapse that buried his coworker, Eloy Pena. His mother She didn’t know anything had happened until she saw him arrive. “I didn’t know anything,” he says. “When they told me, at that very moment he was coming.”

He relief It was immediate, but not complete. “I feel happy, of course, because my son He came out unharmed,” says Altagracia. “But I also feel very sad for his partner, because it is a loss, it is a life.”

[object HTMLTextAreaElement] — Entrance to the old Milito mine, where the collapse occurred in San Gregorio de Nigua. (**FREE DIARY / DANIA ACEVEDO**)

According to the parent, Luis Miguel He did not want to go into details. He only told him one sentence that his mother repeats over and over again: “My mai, I am alive to tell it“. He told him that while he was running he felt the sand coming behind him. Nothing more. The silence afterwards spoke for itself.

According to his story, the young man was not mounted in it truck at the time of collapse. He had gotten off after putting his phone on charge, when he saw what was happening he tried to make warning signs to Eloy. When he returned his sight, everything was already covered by earth.

Won’t go back to mine

Despite his young age, Luis Miguel He had been exposed to a risk that almost cost him his life. His mother admits that he has always had fear of that work. “Of course it gives me fear“, he affirms. “Thank God, he himself told me yesterday that doesn’t come back for the mine“.

At the time when the team Free Diary interviewed Altagracia Montero, Luis Miguel He was not in the house. The only sure thing, says his motherthe thing is came back alive. And that, for her, is everything.

He is a journalist at Diario Libre.

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