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Five people were killed in a gas explosion at a decommissioned coal mine in Mpumalanga province, east of South Africa, police said Thursday.
Several people remained stranded in the Middleburg mine and relief efforts were hampered by dangerously high levels of toxic underground gases. About 20 people are still on the scene, according to the state broadcaster SABC.
People walked into the mine Wednesday afternoon to steal copper cables that provide electricity needed for lighting and ventilation of the site when a gas pipe exploded said police spokesman Leonard Hlati. "They were looking for copper," said Hlati.
Copper is often stolen from South Africa's abandoned mines and sold as scrap metal.
The mine is owned by Tegeta Resources and Exploration, which is currently undergoing a judicial reorganization after its owners, the Gupta brothers, declared that it was difficult to continue doing business in the country because of corruption charges.
The Gupta brothers, their lawyers, their company employees and their family representatives can not be reached to comment on the mine incident.
The brothers, who commanded one of the largest conglomerates in the country, were accused of unduly influencing former president Jacob Zuma in political appointments and contracts won. Zuma and the Guptas deny any irregularity.
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