Fire at PotashCorp mine out; employees safe
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A fire at PotashCorp’s Rocanville potash mine in Canada forced 29 people to refuge stations underground early Tuesday. The fire, first reported at 1:56 a.m. Tuesday, was extinguished shortly after noon on Tuesday. It is believed that a cable reel located in the mine burned. The fire was 17 kilometers down from where the main shaft is located, according to the company.
The first rescue team located the fire and was able to evacuate nine personnel. The remaining 20 workers were held in a refuge room and were waiting for the area to be ventilated before they can be brought up out of the mine, said Bill Cooper, PotashCorp spokesman.
Cooper told the media that the refuge stations are well stocked and that 20 workers could easily stay down there for days.
Crews were hauling in water to cool down the area and prevent the fire from reigniting.
Allan Perrin, vice president of the Rocanville Potash Employee’s Association, said, there have not been any major safety concerns at this mine.
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