Nairobi, Oct 25 (IANS): At least five people were buried alive and one other seriously injured after a quarry collapsed in southwest Kenya, medics and witnesses said Friday.

The six were mining sand at Tulwetab Mosonik quarry in Bomet County when the accident occurred, Xinhua reported.

The upper part of the deeply excavated sand quarry collapsed sending large boulders to cover the miners who were scooping sand from another side

The rescue team, though, saved a man who had been trapped in the rubble of the collapsed quarry for two hours. He suffered fractures in various parts of the body including legs, arms and back due to heavy rubble which fell on him.

Doctors said he was in stable but serious condition.

A witness Julius Koech said they were preparing to start mining sand when the incident occurred.

"I was basking in the sun a few meters from the quarry and had to run for my life when the walls started falling."

"Seven of us were at the site which collapsed and I only escape because I was feeling some cold and went a few meters to bask in the sun and all my colleagues were buried," he added.