12 miners are climbing to the surface on a TWO MILE long emergency ladder after the ‘cage’ that brings them to the surface was damaged on Sunday in Ontario: 27 have climbed to safety
- 39 miners were trapped in a Canadian mine on Sunday
- An ‘elevator’ that brings them to surface detached and blocked the mine shaft
- The company – Vale – said Tuesday morning that 27 have been rescued
- Trapped miners have to climb a ladder up to about two miles long
- Those who can’t or reach exhaustion will be pulled up by ropes
- Officials told Canadian news outlets that they expect all 39 miners to be rescued by Tuesday night
Twelve of 39 miners are still trapped 3,000 to 4,000 feet underground after a scoop bucket that brings them to the surface detached and blocked a Canadian mine shaft early Sunday morning.
The trapped workers in Vale’s Totten mine in Sudbury, Ontario, went to refuge stations – as part of protocol – where there is food and water and the ability to contact loved ones, Vale said in a statement on Monday.
It’s unclear how long food and water would last, but one of the miner’s wives – Sharon Domik – told CTV News that Vale’s statement that the miners are being fed are exaggerated.
‘The truth of the matter is the fact they received a bag of chocolate bars/energy bars,’ Domik said in a message to CTV News.
‘That is not a healthy, well-balanced meal to provide energy to those men who have to climb up 3,100 feet to safety. I am very concerned.’
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The Totten Mine near Sudbury, Ontario, which is pictured here, produces copper, nickel and previous metals
In total, 39 miners were trapped under in a Canadian mind on Sunday
Since Sunday, 19 of the 39 miners have be successfully retrieved without injury
The rescue operation has been underway and already successfully retrieved 27 of the miners without injuries, Vale said in a company statement Tuesday morning.
Miners have to make their way up a ladder about two miles long to get to safety.
Vale spokesperson Danica Pagnutti told the Canadian news outlet CBC that the ladder system that has multiple resting stations along the way.
Miners who are unable to climb make the long ladder ascent or reach exhaustion will be pulled up using ropes.
‘We’re going to haul them out using ropes,’ Shawn Rideout, of Ontario Mine Rescue, told CTV News.
‘So that’s something that we train for all the time in Ontario Mine Rescue. It’s the safest possible way to make sure all 39 come to surface in as good a shape as they were when they went down Sunday morning.’
Vale’s Senior Specialist and Media Relations Jeffrey Lewis told mywesinipissingnow.com that he expects all the minors to reach safety by Tuesday night.
The Totten Mine opened in 2014, in Worthington, Ontario, and produces copper, nickel and precious metals. It employs about 200 people.
In the first six months of 2021, Totten mine produced 3,600 tons of finished nickel, according to Vale.
Vale’s full statement on Monday
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