Kinross Mine Disaster 1986
On 16 September 1986, 177 mineworkers were killed at Kinross Mine in one of South Africa's worst mine disasters since 1946. An acetylene tank sparked flames that swept through the mining tunnel igniting plastic covering on the wiring. The flames also set fire to polyurethane foam that is used to keep walls in the mine dry). The burning plastic combined with polyurethane and churned toxic fumes that filled the shafts, choking miners to death. Apart from the 177 mine workers killed, 235 were injured and one was reported missing.
The Kinross mine disaster is one of the worst gold mine disasters in South African history. After the disaster, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) complained about low safety standards in the mines and organized a protest. On 1 October 1986, mine workers staged one of the largest protests in country. Workers stayed away from work and others held memorial services to mourn those who died in the mine accident.
This accident claimed the lives of 177 people.