Newmont Corporation says workers uninjured after two 'fall of ground incidents' took place
A major rescue operation is underway after three miners became trapped underground following a “fall of ground incident” at the Red Chris copper and gold mine in northwestern British Columbia. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning, prompting an immediate emergency response from both company officials and provincial authorities.
B.C. Premier David Eby confirmed the situation during remarks at the First Ministers meeting in Huntsville, Ontario. “There was an accident. There are three miners that are currently trapped underground. They are, to the best of our knowledge, uninjured and in a refuge area,” Eby stated. He emphasized the expertise of the teams involved: “B.C. miners are the best in the world, our rescue teams are exceptional, and they will be working overtime to bring these workers home safely to their families.”
According to Newmont Corporation, which operates the Red Chris mine, two “fall of ground” incidents took place in the access way to the underground work area of a non-producing project. “At the time of the initial incident, three business partner employees were working more than 500 meters beyond the affected zone and were asked to relocate to a designated refuge station before a subsequent fall of ground blocked the access way,” the company said in a statement.
Newmont further confirmed that after the first event, contact was established with the miners, and it was confirmed they had safely relocated to one of several self-contained refuge bays. “The refuge stations are equipped with adequate food, water and ventilation to support an extended stay,” the statement read. However, a second fall of ground event subsequently restricted communication with the trapped workers.
To focus on the rescue efforts, all operations at Red Chris have been suspended. “All appropriate emergency response protocols were activated immediately. Newmont is actively assessing all methods and technologies available to restore communication and safely bring our team members to surface. Our priority remains on ensuring the safety of the three individuals and of the emergency response teams supporting this effort,” the company added.
The trapped miners—two from British Columbia and one from Ontario—are believed to be contractors involved in underground development work. The Red Chris mine, majority-owned by Newmont, is located on Tahltan Nation territory near Dease Lake and has been operating since 2015.
Premier Eby, who has been in contact with Ontario Premier Doug Ford regarding the situation, reiterated the province’s commitment: “Obviously it’s very concerning for the families, for the workers in the sector and British Columbians and Canadians and our thoughts are with the families and appreciation with the incredibly brave rescue teams that are working right now.”
Authorities and company officials have pledged to provide further updates as the situation develops. Canadian Occupational Safety will bring you more details as they become available.
