All but five of the 72 miners trapped by fire in a potash mine in central Canada were rescued today after 24 hours stranded deep underground.
The five who remain below the surface are believed to be safe, waiting inside a sealed refuge chamber. They are expected to be released soon when the mine is completely ventilated of toxic smoke.
The men became trapped at 3am Central Standard Time (0900GMT) yesterday when a fire started in a plastic water pipe more than half a mile from the entrance to the mineshaft in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan.
As the tunnels became logged with toxic smoke, the miners split into several groups and retreated to emergency rooms further underground. They remained in the refuges, which are equipped with supplies of oxygen, food and water, as firefighters battled the blaze and began to pump out the poisonous fumes.
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A mine rescue team was sent in to check on one group of 32 men who were trapped in a room which was out of radio contact for 18 hours. After ensuring that they were all safe, the men were sealed back inside as the ventilation was completed.
They were brought to the surface early this morning, followed by another 35 who emerged several hours later.
Marshall Hamilton, a spokesman for owners Mosaic Potash, said: “I won’t kid you, there was a lot of relief in that.”
The mine scare raised memories of a fatal explosion in a West Virginia coal mine earlier this month. Twelve miners were killed and one injured in that blast, although a mix-up resulted in their families initally being told that by a miracle they had survived.
Esterhazy, population 2,602, lies about 130 miles northeast of the provincial capital of Regina, and on its website describes itself as being the “Potash capital of the World!”. Potash is a mineral used in the production of agricultural fertiliser.
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Donna Nicholauson, who operates the mine’s lift, and Brenda Pederson, whose son works at the mine but was not among the trapped miners, were among dozens waiting for news.
“You think everything is good because we have a good safety record out there but I was a little nervous,” said Ms Nicholauson yesterday.
“I’m just worried for the people. It’s like a family out there. All my buddies, good friends . . . I came home, I was bawling. I just broke down.’’
“Everyone I love works there,” said Mrs Pederson. “I was just sick. I’m so happy I heard they’re coming out safe.”
Mrs Pederson told the Vancouver Sun that she had watched as the teams of firemen emerged from the mineshaft.
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“I watched those boys come up from underground,” she said. “They were just black, they were hot, they were soaking wet. I think they should have a half-ton truckload of beer for the boys that come out of there.”
At a press conference this afternoon, a spokesman for the company said that the miners and rescue teams had all acted in a professional manner. “They were pretty calm,” he said. “A lot of them said they had a good sleep down there.”