/ 30 April 2008

Fifth West Rand miner dies

One of the three mine workers injured during a ground fall at Driefontein mine on Tuesday has died, bringing the death toll from recent mining accidents on the West Rand to five, a Gold Fields spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Andrew Davidson said the worker had been taken to a hospital in Carletonville to be stabilised, and was then transferred to the Krugersdorp Hospital, but later died.

The remaining two injured miners were stable, he said.

There were two separate mining accidents on the West Rand on Tuesday.

Three workers died initially and others were injured after a seismic event caused a fall of ground at the Driefontein mine at 8.17am, and at South Deep mine a driller’s assistant died in a fall of ground at 10.30am.

Investigations into the five deaths will be carried out. — Sapa