A tunnel explosion at the Mokhtar Soussi Dam construction site, located in Aouzioua, 100km east of Taroudant province, Morocco, resulted in the death of five workers.
According to the Ahl Tifnoute municipality statement, the tunnel exploded on Sunday evening, trapping the workers inside the tunnel.
With the explosion, the debris blocked the tunnel’s access, and the toxic gases were released from the gas welding equipment.
The bodies of five workers were recovered. However, rescue efforts were delayed due to the tunnel’s narrow structure and the high concentration of gas, the municipality added.
The municipality shared a video showing local authorities, including the Royal Gendarmeries and Civil Protection teams, and others working throughout the night to reach the workers.
The community’s statement on the Facebook page said: “After numerous attempts, the bodies of the five victims, who were trapped inside a tunnel at the Mokhtar Soussi Dam due to an explosion and a subsequent gas leak, were recovered around 4:00 am.”
“Efforts to reach the victims lasted for many hours, involving the local authority led by Aouzioua, members of the Royal Gendarmerie, Civil Protection, Auxiliary Forces, a rescue team from the Zgounder Mine, volunteers, and workers.”
According to the Hespress report, the five workers, including two agency employees and three from a private company involved in the dam project, were summoned on short notice.
Idriss Atik, a cousin of one of the victims, was quoted saying that the Souss-Massa Water Basin Agency deployed the workers to fix an issue in the irrigation tunnel related to the dam.
When the deadly explosion occurred, the workers were trying to remove a metal piece stuck within the tunnel using a gas cylinder for welding.
Atik criticised that the limited rescue resources contributed to delays and called for an investigation into the reason for the explosion.
The Ahl Tafnout commune official told Hespress: “Preliminary reports suggest the incident involved the explosion of one or more gas cylinders used by the workers for welding, though the precise reason for the blast is still unclear.
“The depth of the tunnel, around 400m, combined with the intensity of the gas, has complicated rescue operations.
“Additional rescue teams from the Zgounder mine in the Askaoun region have been deployed to assist. In such incidents, it is necessary to fully understand the circumstances and root causes.”
