Home | Latest Additions | Sudbury Operations Suspended Due To Mine Death

Sudbury Operations Suspended Due To Mine Death

By Staff K 30/01/2012 12:35:00

Font size:

Sudbury Operations Suspended Due To Mine Death

Vale's general manager for Ontario says operations at all five mines in the Sudbury area will be suspended indefinitely while the death of a 47-year-old miner is investigated.

Kelly Strong said this is the first time he can remember this happening in his 11 years with company. The move affects close to 1,600 workers.

The president of the Steelworkers union local in Sudbury is calling Sunday's mining fatality "unacceptable."

The worker, who has still not been named, was killed Sunday afternoon while he was underground at Vale's Coleman Mine in Levack, Ont., northwest of Sudbury.
Union boss 'angry'

“It’s a really difficult … I’m very angry," Rick Bertand said. "And the reason for that is … four fatalities in seven months is unacceptable — three in Sudbury, one in Thompson [Man.]."

A joint investigation by the company and union is in the works and Ministry of Labour investigators are on the scene.

“All we know at this time is a worker was loading the face of the rock with explosives, from a man-basket, when the incident occurred,” said ministry spokesman Matt Blajer.
Rick Bertrand, president of United Steelworkers Local 6500, says the union and Vale need to talk about a plan to improve safety.Rick Bertrand, president of United Steelworkers Local 6500, says the union and Vale need to talk about a plan to improve safety.

At a Monday press conference, Vale said it appears a piece of the rockface fell on the miner, but the explosives he was working with did not play any part in the accident.

The ministry has issued two requirements to Vale: that it not disturb the area and any equipment until it’s released by one of the ministry inspectors and to release a number of documents related to training and equipment.

Bertand said a plan needs to be forged when it comes to health and safety at Vale mines.

“I think what we need to do is sit down in the room together — the Steelworkers and Vale — and have discussions about the health and safety and where we’re at and where we need to go, because … this is unacceptable," Bertand said. "This can’t continue to happen.”

The employee, who had 16 years experience with Vale, was working in the main ore body at the 4,215-foot level of Coleman mine. He was found and brought to the surface, where he was subsequently pronounced dead by medical authorities.
'We are saddened and devastated by the loss of this employee,' says Kelly Strong, Vale general manager of Ontario Operations.'We are saddened and devastated by the loss of this employee,' says Kelly Strong, Vale general manager of Ontario Operations. (Steve Howard/CBC)

“We are saddened and devastated by the loss of this employee,” Strong said.

“Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to the employee’s family, and everyone who knew and worked with him. Our efforts are now focused on supporting the family and our employees at the mine site, and on understanding exactly what occurred.”

The accident is also being investigated by the Greater Sudbury Police Services.

Last June, Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram were killed underground while working at Stobie Mine in Sudbury.

The two were overtaken by a run of rock material or "muck," when they opened a gate and the material overflowed into the area where they were working.

Sunday's fatality comes on the heels of a report released by Vale Wednesday, which discussed outcomes of the company's investigation into that accident.