A gas explosion in a South African gold mine has killed 18 miners and left one missing, say officials of the mine owner, Anglogold. Anglogold spokesman James Duncan says the miners were lengthening a major access tunnel to a working area using drill+blast when gas, thought to be methane, ignited. The explosion, which was 2.7km underground, happened at Mponeng mine in Carltonville, 5km southwest of Johannesburg.
