Tragedy Strikes South Africa: 16 Lives Lost in Toxic Gas Leak

At least 16 people, including three children, have died in a toxic gas leak caused by illegal miners processing gold in an informal settlement in Boksburg, South Africa. The leak was caused by a nitrate gas cylinder being used to separate gold from dirt and rock. Emergency services are still searching for other casualties, while the bodies of the victims remain on the ground awaiting forensic investigation. Illegal mining is prevalent in the gold-rich areas around Johannesburg, and mining fatalities, both from accidents and gas explosions, are common.