Death toll at S African gold mine rises to 61

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 2: The death toll rose to least 61 on Tuesday from an underground fire that killed illegal miners at a disused gold mine in South Africa, Harmony Gold Mining Co. said.



"Today we found 25 more bodies," said Tom Smith, head of Harmony´s operations in the part of the country where the abandoned shaft is located. "The bodies are not burned. It seems more of a case of gas or smoke inhalation."



Illegal mining in South Africa´s abandoned gold mines often goes unnoticed because miners can sneak past security at one mine and exit from one owned by a different company kilometers away. The illegal miners can stay underground for months unseen.



Gold prices near record highs have made the risk taken by well-organized illegal mining syndicates even more worthwhile.

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