Hundreds of miners trapped underground after accident in South Africa

AKIPRESS.COM - Hundreds of miners are trapped underground at a site in South Africa after an accident caused a shaft exit to become blocked, Sky News reports.
Some 1,800 miners are still trapped under the earth, with emergency services currently attending the scene at the Thembelani shaft in Rustenberg, run by mining company Sibanye Stillwater.
The miners became trapped at midday on Tuesday after some rails that were being transported underground came loose and fell, blocking the exit to the mine.
No serious injuries have been reported.
Workers are removing the rails and examining the shaft for any structural damage.
Sibanye spokesman James Wellsted said that if the shaft is damaged, the workers would have to exit via its Khuseleka shaft, which is 4km (2.5 miles) away.
He did not say how long it could take to bring the workers out, adding that they had been given food and water.