South Africa tunnel accident toll rises to 6

The death toll from the tunnel accident in South Africa rose to six, police said Thursday evening. Six workers were dead and seven others injured in the accident which occurred at the construction site of Ingula, near the city of Ladysmith in the southeastern province of KuaZulu-Natal, police said, adding that three of the injured remain in a critical condition. A platform carrying workers doing welding and grouting in one of the four tunnels at the construction site came loose and collapsed, contrary to the previous report of the tunnel collapse, according to the latest information. About 15 people were operating in the tunnel when the working platform failed at around 9:15 a.m. local time. President Jacob Zuma has extended his condolences to the bereaved families, wishing the injured workers a speedy recovery. Following the accident, all the 3,300 workers on the site had to be evacuated. The site would be closed until the end of investigations.