<p>At least 17 people, including a one-year-old child, were killed and ten hospitalised following a toxic gas leak during an illegal gold extraction operation at an abandoned mine in South Africa, authorities said on Thursday.</p>.<p>The incident occurred on Wednesday evening near Boksburg city, east of Johannesburg, South African authorities confirmed.</p>.<p>Gauteng provincial Premier Panyaza Lesufi told the media that the youngest person that died was a one-year-old child, and the rest were believed to be illegal miners working in a long-closed mine in the area.</p>.<p>The miners were reportedly using the highly toxic nitrate oxide gas to extract gold from soil dug out of the mine.</p>.<p>He confirmed that the death toll rose to 17 after one of the 11 people initially hospitalised died.</p>.<p>South African President Cyril Ramaphosa extended his condolences to the families of those killed.</p>.<p>He urged "investigators to get to the bottom of what may have caused this accident to avoid similar disasters in future," a statement by his office said.</p>.<p>The survivors of the Boksburg gas leak were recovering well, Gauteng Health Minister Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko told local media.</p>.<p>"The conditions of those who are inside, they are doing much better. At ward one, we have a baby of two months, but she is doing fine. She is self-breathing," she said.</p>.<p>Lesufi, who rushed to the incident scene last night, deployed forensic experts to investigate reports that the gas had leaked from a cylinder, overcoming residents of an informal settlement nearby.</p>.<p>Helicopters were also used to comb the area in case the gas had spread further, but no other casualties were reported.</p>.<p>Lesufi promised swift action against the illegal miners, who have been operating across the province in abandoned mines, often remaining underground for months on end.</p>.<p>A resident at the settlement, Mandla Marunda, escaped death when he ran away after smelling gas, which he said smelt like rotten eggs.</p>.<p>Marunda said he started running when he saw people dropping down one by one.</p>.<p>He admitted that he was too scared to return to the area until assured by police that it was safe to do so.</p>.<p>Marunda’s friend George Mbula said he grabbed a towel from a bucket of water outside his shack to cover his mouth and nose for protection as he escaped.</p>.<p>The incident occurred not far from where a vast container carrying inflammable gas exploded next to a hospital on Christmas Eve last year, killing over 40 people.</p>.<p>The tanker had gotten stuck under a low bridge next to the hospital and exploded after sparks ignited a fire.</p>
<p>At least 17 people, including a one-year-old child, were killed and ten hospitalised following a toxic gas leak during an illegal gold extraction operation at an abandoned mine in South Africa, authorities said on Thursday.</p>.<p>The incident occurred on Wednesday evening near Boksburg city, east of Johannesburg, South African authorities confirmed.</p>.<p>Gauteng provincial Premier Panyaza Lesufi told the media that the youngest person that died was a one-year-old child, and the rest were believed to be illegal miners working in a long-closed mine in the area.</p>.<p>The miners were reportedly using the highly toxic nitrate oxide gas to extract gold from soil dug out of the mine.</p>.<p>He confirmed that the death toll rose to 17 after one of the 11 people initially hospitalised died.</p>.<p>South African President Cyril Ramaphosa extended his condolences to the families of those killed.</p>.<p>He urged "investigators to get to the bottom of what may have caused this accident to avoid similar disasters in future," a statement by his office said.</p>.<p>The survivors of the Boksburg gas leak were recovering well, Gauteng Health Minister Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko told local media.</p>.<p>"The conditions of those who are inside, they are doing much better. At ward one, we have a baby of two months, but she is doing fine. She is self-breathing," she said.</p>.<p>Lesufi, who rushed to the incident scene last night, deployed forensic experts to investigate reports that the gas had leaked from a cylinder, overcoming residents of an informal settlement nearby.</p>.<p>Helicopters were also used to comb the area in case the gas had spread further, but no other casualties were reported.</p>.<p>Lesufi promised swift action against the illegal miners, who have been operating across the province in abandoned mines, often remaining underground for months on end.</p>.<p>A resident at the settlement, Mandla Marunda, escaped death when he ran away after smelling gas, which he said smelt like rotten eggs.</p>.<p>Marunda said he started running when he saw people dropping down one by one.</p>.<p>He admitted that he was too scared to return to the area until assured by police that it was safe to do so.</p>.<p>Marunda’s friend George Mbula said he grabbed a towel from a bucket of water outside his shack to cover his mouth and nose for protection as he escaped.</p>.<p>The incident occurred not far from where a vast container carrying inflammable gas exploded next to a hospital on Christmas Eve last year, killing over 40 people.</p>.<p>The tanker had gotten stuck under a low bridge next to the hospital and exploded after sparks ignited a fire.</p>