Officials in South Africa say that 16 people have died because of what they think was a leak of nitrate oxide gas.

At an informal village in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, women and children all died from breathing in gas.

Illegal gold digging in the area has been linked to the leak on Wednesday.

Illegal gold miners, who are called “zama zamas” in the area, often use nitrate oxide gas to get gold out of dirt stolen from old mine shafts.

In the very crowded Angelo shanty town in Boksburg, one of the gas tanks was found to be leaking.

The bodies were found within 100 meters (328 feet) of the scene of the crime.

Emergency service workers have told the BBC that no one was taken to the hospital.

But as search and rescue teams keep working, they worry that more bodies could be found tonight.

Just six months ago, on Christmas Eve, a gas truck exploded in the same town, killing 41 people.