TEN SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD MINERS TRAPPED 2 KM (1.25 MILES) UNDERGROUND IN A BURNING MINE SHAFT HAVE BEEN FOUND ALIVE, A UNION OFFICIAL SAID ON THURSDAY. 'THE TRAPPED PEOPLE WERE FOUND ALIVE. THE RESCUE TEAM IS BUSY BRINGING THEM UP TO THE SURFACE,' TRADE UNION SOLIDARITY SPOKESMAN CHRIS PIENAAR TOLD REUTERS. 'IT'S NOT CLEAR AS YET IF THERE ARE ANY INJURIES.' THE MINERS AT SIMMER AND JACK MINES' BUFFELSFONTEIN GOLD MINE WERE TRAPPED UNDERGROUND AFTER A FIRE, SUSPECTED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THEY WERE TRAPPED FOR MORE THAN 20 HOURS. EARLIER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GORDON MILLER SAID PRODUCTION AT THE AFFECTED NUMBER 7 SHAFT HAD STOPPED BUT THE REST OF THE MINE WAS OPERATING. THE FIRM SAID 136 MINERS WERE UNDERGROUND AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE AT THE MINE NEAR THE TOWN OF STILFONTEIN, 155 KM (97 MILES) SOUTHWEST OF JOHANNESBURG. THE FIRE STARTED LATE ON WEDNESDAY. --MORE 23 20 LOCAL TIME 20 20 GMT
