40 years ago September 18, 1986: 177 killed in South African mine

This is the front page of The Indian Express published on September 18, 1986.

2 min readSep 18, 2026 06:40 AM IST First published on: Sep 18, 2026 at 06:40 AM IST

Fire sparked off by a welding accident sent deadly chemical fumes billowing through a gold mine, killing at least 177 workers and injuring 235 in Kinross, South Africa, officials said. Rescue teams wearing breathing apparatus evacuated 2,200 men from the Kinross Gold Mines, 100 km east of Johannesburg.

US arsenal for germs warfare

The Pentagon is quietly increasing its research into germs warfare. It is cloning some of the world’s rarest and deadliest of diseases to increase its arsenal for germs warfare. Critics are expressing fears that the US is laying the groundwork for a new biological weapons system.

PM on communalism

The Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, made an appeal to keep religion and politics apart. Addressing a special Congress (I) convention at St Alberts College Grounds soon after his arrival in Cochin, he said the biggest threat to the country came not from outside but from within.

On Hindi, Tamil Nadu vs Centre

The Tamil Nadu Government has urged the Centre to withdraw its recent circular on use of Hindi in central government offices to avoid a law-and-order situation in the state. A “strongly” worded letter on the issue has been written to the PM, Rajiv Gandhi, by the state Finance Minister, V R Nedunchezhiyan, who also holds the Chief Minister’s portfolios in his absence.