Nine miners died at the Northam Platinum mine near Thabazimbi after a fire broke out underground early on Monday, the company said.
Northam Platinum spokesperson Marion Brower said the fire broke out at about 1am on Monday.
She said 46 workers, who were working on the 13th level of the mine about 2 100m underground, were safely evacuated after the blaze was detected.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said a conveyor belt transporting platinum from underground caught fire.
NUM health and safety regional chairperson Elifas Ngoepe said six of the miners died while trying to douse the fire. The other three died from smoke inhalation.
”Six of the deceased were trying to extinguish the fire. They were trapped, got lost in the smoke and eventually got burnt.”
Brower said the mine is committed to working with all parties in understanding the cause of the accident. Representatives of the NUM and the Department of Minerals and Energy are on site.
Production at the Limpopo mine has been stopped until further notice.
The company is trying to locate the next-of-kin of the deceased. — Sapa