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Most of 486 miners trapped underground in S. Africa brought to safety

Xinhua, February 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited announced on Sunday that 389 of the 486 miners trapped underground have been brought to safety.

The remaining miners were still unaccounted for, the company said in a statement.

"Specially trained rescue teams continue their efforts to rescue the remaining employees," said the company.

The 486 miners were trapped approximately 2.3 km below surface at around 9:40 a.m. Sunday after a fire broke out on the Kusasalethu gold mine's 75 level, the company said.

Mine Rescue teams have been deployed underground at the Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville southwest of Johannesburg, according to the company.

The fire, believed to have started during maintenance work on a bulk air cooler on 75 level, is in the process of being contained by Mine Rescue teams, and ventilation flow to the fire is being sealed off, the company said.

A further six Mine Rescue teams have been called out and are expected to be deployed on arrival at the mine to assist with the rescue, it said.

All operations at the mine, other than those related to the rescue, have been suspended, it added. Endi