Power outage traps nearly 1,000 in South Africa gold mine

Feb. 1 (UPI) -- About 950 gold miners remained trapped in a gold mine in the Free State province of South Africa Thursday, after a storm knocked out the electrical supply.

At 11:18 p.m. Wednesday, a power line in the Welkom area that supplies the mines collapsed, utility Eksom posted on Twitter. Welkom is about 250 miles south of Johannesburg.

Since the power outage: "http://ewn.co.za/2018/02/01/almost-1-000-miners-trapped-underground-at-fs-mine" target="_blank"}, 64 miners have been rescued at Sibanye-Stillwater's Beatrix mine, company officials said. And although the others remain underground, officials said all of them are safe.

"They have all been accounted for, they're at the waiting station," mine spokesman James Wellsted said in a report by eNews Channel Africa. "We are providing food and water. So, we hope to get them out really soon."

Attempts are being made to lower a generator in the mine.

"But we are experiencing some difficulties with the circuit that may be linked to the surge relating to the storm and the power issue," Wellsted said.

The power utility is working to restore power soon, according to Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe. Otherwise, Wellsted said miners will be forced to walk 2 1/2 miles to another shaft to get up to the surface.

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union and the National Union of Mineworkers expressed concerns about the trapped workers.

"Lives might already be threatened due to dehydration and blood sugar issues because of a lack of nutrition," the AMCU said. "It is also quite common for adults to be on chronic medication and it is highly probable that there are some workers who are trapped without access to their medicine."

The AMCU cited a lack of contingency plans for alternative and backup power generation.

"The mine should have its own backup arrangements," the organization said.

Thursday night, the African National Congress said it had "great concern" about the stranded miners.

Mineral Resources Minister, Mosebenzi Zwane is scheduled to visit Sibanye Gold's Beatrix mine Friday.