The Star Late Edition

Inquest opened, rescue delayed

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POLICE in Mpumalanga have opened an inquest docket after five bodies were retrieved from the Koornfonte­in Gloria coal mineshaft at Blinkpan, the Department of Mineral Resources said yesterday.

About 22 people, believed to be Lesotho nationals, were trapped undergroun­d at the disused mine near Middelburg from Wednesday following a deadly gas explosion.

The trapped people were reportedly part of a group of 42 who went undergroun­d on Sunday and Monday in an attempt to steal copper cables.

At least 20 managed to reach safety after the gas explosion, but 22 were left behind.

The DMR said in a statement that the search-and-rescue operation was being delayed by lack of ventilatio­n inside the shaft because all cables supplying power to ventilatio­n fans at the mine had been stolen.

“Mine officials indicated that retrieval efforts are being hampered by the fact that the mineshaft is not safe and there is insufficie­nt ventilatio­n, but will resume after the electricit­y supply to the shaft has been restored,” it said. “The area has been declared a crime scene and cordoned off due to the volatility of the situation. All (rescue) role-players are at the scene.”

Mpumalanga police spokespers­on Brigadier Leonard Hlathi had on Wednesday said that one dead body was retrieved while another man was rescued alive.

The Gloria mine is part of the Optimum Coal assets owned by the Gupta family. The Gupta mine assets were put into business rescue last year. The mine has been closed since September and hundreds of miners have not been paid their salaries since October. |

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