Informal miners in Buriticá claim that, since the afternoon of 18 May, mud has been pouring out of the pits where they carry out their work in an artisanal manner, which initially left four people trapped. They allege that the spills are from the multinational Zijin Continental Gold and that the same thing has happened on other occasions.

Continental Gold Limited Sucursal Colombia, owner of the Buriticá mine, in a communiqué to the public, stated that "there has been no evidence of people trapped".