Tragic Gas Explosion Claims 38 Lives in Nigerian Lead Mine. City, Country — Nigeria — February 18, 2026 A devastating gas explosion at a lead mine in central Nigeria’s Plateau state has killed at least 38 miners, with another 27 injured, according to local sources.
The incident occurred at the Kampanin Zurak mining site in Bashar district, where the explosion struck between 7:30 and 8:00 am local time.
The acting traditional ruler of the area confirmed the deaths and injuries to AFP. “So far 38 people are confirmed dead and about 27 others have been rushed to hospital, “said the leader, Alhaji Aliyu Adamu Idris. Ibrahim Dattijo Sani, a miner at a nearby pit, described the scene to AFP, saying, “We are close to the sites, people were inside the mining pits and suddenly a gas exploded.
We tried many efforts for rescue but unfortunately 38 people have died. Others have been taken to hospital.”
A confidential security report seen by AFP attributed the death of the miners to “carbon monoxide poisoning.”.
Kampanin Zurak is an old mining settlement in the Wase district, and the site of the explosion is operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited.
The state is a historical mining region, with its capital Jos known as the Tin City.
However, mining activities have slowed in recent years, and several similar accidents have killed miners in Nigeria previously.
At least 18 people were killed in Zamfara state in the northwest after a boulder crashed onto an illegal mine during heavy rains in September. Authorities in the country have blamed illegal mining for the worsening of bandit violence, with criminal gangs getting money from protection fees they extort from miners.
Regional officials confirmed the incident, and the government has not yet commented on the cause of the explosion or the status of the injured.
Further details are expected as the situation develops.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
