This Day in History: September 17, 1983
Additional Date: September 17, 1983
30 years today, sixty-eight mine workers were killed after an underground methane gas explosion at the Hlobane coal mine near Vryheid in Kwazulu-Natal . The gas explosion was caused by poor safety standards. A week before the explosion a miner who also died in the explosion discovered methane underground. The mine captain scratched out his report about underground methane to give the mine a good safety record. The mine owners were fined R400 for contravening the Mines and Works Act. Despite this explosion, the authorities continued to give the mine high ratings for safety standards .