An elevator taking workers to the surface at a giant South African platinum mine has killed 11 workers and injured 75 people after it plunged out of control, News About Nigeria reports.
The devastating accident, according to Implats Platinum, happened at its Rustenburg mine, northwest of Johannesburg, as more than 80 employees were leaving a shaft at the end of their shift.
Implats wrote in a statement that the alarm was raised shortly before 5:00 pm as the lift started to descend unexpectedly.
The CEO of the company, Nico Muller, expressed displeasure over the dead and the injured, adding that the company is in the process of contacting their relatives.
According to the spokesman of the company, Johan Theron, some were severely injured with bone fractures and had been transferred to local hospitals and admitted for treatment.
Implats said all operations at the mine have been suspended pending the conclusion of an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Muller added that the company is offering support to the families and colleagues of the dead, and the injured will also be adequately taken care of.
South Africa is somewhat in the news when it comes to mining across the whole world.
This is because South Africa is the world’s leading producer of platinum, with the occurrence of common accidents due to hundreds of thousands of people who work in the industry.
According to statistics from the government, dozens of mineworkers are killed each year, but safety standards have already stepped up over the last 20 years.
