Joao Pimenta da Silva, 71, is thought to have spent more than a year digging the hole
An elderly man who dreamed there was gold buried under his kitchen floor has died after falling down the 130ft hole he dug trying to find it.
Joao Pimenta da Silva, 71, lost his balance before plummeting down the shaft – 35 inches wide and 13 storeys deep – on January 5.
Neighbours said the pensioner had grown obsessed with the idea there was treasure underneath the property in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Arnaldo da Silva told local media: ‘Joao had spent more than a year digging the hole and hired many people to do the excavating work.
‘He began by paying £11.30 (70 Brazilian Reais) a day when the hole was still shallow but the deeper he went the more the costs went up.
‘He ended up paying around £80 to anyone who entered the hole and helped to remove earth.
‘He had hit a large stone that appeared which was difficult to remove and there were rumours he had been talking about trying to get hold of dynamite.’
Extraordinary photos of the hole, which was around 35 inches in diameter and went down the equivalent of around 13 floors, have been published in the Brazilian press
Joao Pimenta da Silva was said to have grown obsessed with the idea there was treasure underneath the property
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Thee hole under his property in Minas Gerais, Brazil
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The neighbour said Joao claimed to have been told by a ‘spirit’ in a dream there was gold under the rock below his kitchen floor and he tried to warn him of the dangers of his mission but was ignored.
Local reports said the victim is believed to have slipped and plunged to his death from a wooden platform near the top of the hole as he tried to exit it following work to remove water and mud.
A friend he was working with was unable to save him.
His body was removed by the emergency services.
He was found to have suffered head injuries and broken legs as well as other fractures.
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Joao Pimenta da Silva, 71, fell the equivalent of 13 storeys after becoming obsessed by the idea of finding treasure.