Ten trapped miners have been found alive 2km underground in a burning mine shaft at Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein, North West province.
”Yes, they have been found. All they said was that they were very hungry,” said Simmer and Jack mining company spokesperson Gail Strauss.
”We are waiting for them to come up from underground and only then can we tell the extent of their injuries, if any. However, I am sure they will have to be treated for smoke inhalation,” she said.
Most of the miners were not from North West and their families were not on the scene, said Strauss.
The miners were trapped underground by a fire which blazed on a single stope in the number seven shaft for more than 20 hours.
Simmer and Jack earlier denied allegations by trade union Solidarity that an earthquake in March last year had diminished the structural stability and economic viability of the mine.
”It is premature to speculate on exactly what the circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire is,” said mine spokesperson Deon van der Mescht.
The fire was thought to have been started by an electrical fault at 11pm on Wednesday.
There were 136 miners in the shaft at the time. All were brought to safety. Nine had to be treated for smoke inhalation. – Sapa