At least three people died in the wreckage of an illegal sand mine in Rwanda’s northern province, local media has reported Sunday quoting a senior local administrative official in the region.The mayor of Burera district where the accident occurred, Marie Chantal Uwanyirigira explained that the crash occurred in a mine in a village, not far from the Ugandan border.

“The miners were engaged in drilling without official permission,” Uwanyirigira said.

According to her, preliminary information indicate  the incident occurred due to a violation of safety rules at work.

Small-scale mining in Rwanda’s hilly landscape has led to landslides and mine collapses in recent months.

Official estimates show that earnings from Rwanda’s mineral exports more than doubled to $373-million in 2017 up from $166-million a year before.

The government says revenues are expected to climb to $600 million in this year.