It is reported that the South Africa’s department of labor has closed the Assmang plant in Cato Ridge in Durban following the death of four workers in a massive explosion on Sunday and 5 more injured.

Ms Zolisa Sigabi a department spokesperson said that "The department has since ordered a halt to all operations in the plant until a risk assessment has been conducted to ascertain whether the furnaces can become operational again."

Ms Sigabi said that a full scale government investigation is underway to establish the cause of the tragedy, including any possible negligence or flouting of occupational health and safety measures.

She said preliminary findings by the department's inspectors indicated that a water leakage into the furnace may have led to the explosion. The impact of the explosion resulted in the wall of the control room facing the furnace to collapse allowing the flames to engulf the entire room.