Emergency workers at a South African gold mine have said that they have recovered 8 dead bodies from the Doornkop Gold Mine who were trapped underground on late Tuesday.

17 workers were trapped underground when 2.4 magnitude of earthquake triggered an underground fire. 8 workers were rescue unhurt and one is still missing.

The Harmony Company who operates the Doornkop Gold Mine said that the tremor also triggered a rockfall of about 1.7 kilometers underground at the mine which is located west of Johannesburg.

The fire was said to have began on Tuesday evening in the mine which is about 5,600ft below the ground. The cause of the fire is not yet clear to authorities.

Mine officials said earlier that emergency workers had been struggling to access the affected area because of smoke and falling rocks from above the mine.

The company said in a statement that efforts are ongoing to establish the cause of the fire and promised to adhere to the highest safety standards.

Chief Executive of the mine, Graham Briggs told reporters that those rescued are in good condition and experts are still investigating to unravel the cause of the disaster.

“All of those rescued miners walked quite comfortably when they came out, they are under observation for the next 24 hours’’, he said.

Mineral Resources Minister, Susan Shabangu said in a statement that the situation is deeply regrettable and authorities of the mine should do anything possible to unravel the cause of the disaster.

“We must ensure that we do all we can to get to the bottom of what caused this incident in order to prevent similar occurrences in future’’, she said.

Leader of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Eric Gcilitshana told the Star newspaper that the union extends their condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives.

“This is a very sad moment for us in the National Union of Mine workers, our hearts go out to the families of the deceased,” he was quoted by The Star newspaper as saying.

Although the cause of the disaster has not been established now, the National Union of Mine workers suggests that the earth tremor could cause the fire.

All miners have been mandated to carry emergency oxygen packs and rescue bays which are equipped with food, water and breathing equipment in the event of disaster or prolonged stay underground.

82 men died in 2009 in an underground fire at a Harmony mine. They were later identified as illegal miners.

South Africa’s gold mines are said to be the deepest in the world and a total of 112 people died in similar accidents in 2012.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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