Trapped miners escape unharmed
24/10/2007 - 12:29:45All 54 miners who spent nearly eight hours trapped underground by a fire in an Australian gold mine were rescued today.
Workers at the Kanowa Bell mine near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia were moved into underground emergency shelters when a truck caught fire in a mine shaft this morning, a company spokeswoman said.
No one was injured in the incident.
“Everyone has been brought to the surface throughout the afternoon, with the last 16 evacuated by 5:20 p.m. (11.20 Irish time),” she said.
“They’re hoping to get the truck out tonight and they’re looking to have the operations up and running by the morning.”
The engine fire was quickly extinguished but the workers were moved into emergency shelters as a “precautionary measure” because of health risks from the smoke.
