Two persons have died after the illegal mining pit they were working in collapsed on them at Odumasi in the Asante Akyem Central municipality of the Ashanti region.

The two were part of a group of illegal miners working in a concession belonging to the Northern Ashanti Mines Limited.

Many of the mining company's concessions lie unprotected, becoming a haven for dangerous illegal mining joints in the town.

Eyewitnesses say the two were part of a group digging beneath a pile of loose earth when the pit caved in on them.

The incident, which attracted hundreds of other miners and sympathizers, exposes a dangerous trend of deep-pit irresponsible mining at Odumasi.

It took rescuers including the Municipal NADMO office hours to find the bodies of the two who are yet to be identified.

Odumase is home to illegal mining with some digging pits beneath their homes. This has so far claimed one life.