NationStates Jolt Archive

Src: http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/01/29/potash-saskatchewan060129.html

Fire traps 70 workers in Saskatchewan mine

Last Updated Sun, 29 Jan 2006 18:25:34 EST
CBC News

Seventy miners have been trapped underground for more than 14 hours in a potash mine in Esterhazy, Sask.

Officials with the company that runs the mine, the U.S.-based Mosaic, said they believed the miners were safe.

But they have not had radio contract with 30 of the miners since a fire broke out early Sunday morning.

Miners reported smoke almost a kilometre underground at about 3 a.m. CST.

Marshall Hamilton, a spokesperson for the mine, said the 70 workers were trained to head for isolation areas in the event of an emergency.

"In those refuge stations, they can seal themselves off and there's oxygen, food and water. And they can stay in there for at least 36 hours."

Mine rescue teams were called in, but Mosaic wanted to put out the fire before beginning rescue operations.

Hamilton said the cause of the fire was not known.

He said the miners' families had been contacted.

Esterhazy is about 210 kilometres east and slightly north of Regina.

i don't like this story. that's a heck of a lot of people. i wonder what they're thinking down there.

Hmmm...I'm starting to think that being a miner is a crappy job, and not just in China.

The good thing of course is that fire will move upward, as will the smoke, so until the oxygen runs out, they should be fine. Time to start putting out that fire then...

Hmmm...I'm starting to think that being a miner is a crappy job, and not just in China.

The good thing of course is that fire will move upward, as will the smoke, so until the oxygen runs out, they should be fine. Time to start putting out that fire then...

Agreed with everything. But if the fuel leads down, fire will burn down. That'd blow.

I hope for the best.

After one tour of a coal mine I will never begrude a coal miner a generous wage for the dirty, dangerous job the perform.