Update: Miners rescued from Lucky Friday mine collapse

Seven miners have been pulled from Hecla Mining’s Lucky Friday mine after a collapse Wednesday evening.

Media reports say that six of the workers were treated at the scene while a seventh was treated at hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The miners were injured by a rock burst over a mile underground at about 7:40 p.m. Wednesday.

The silver-lead-zinc mine in northern Idaho is one of the deepest underground mines in the US.

Two miners have died in separate incidents at the same mine this year. The latest in November involved two contractors who were buried in rubble trying to dislodge a jammed rock bin. One was hospitalized and released while the other, 26-year-old Brandon Lloyd Gray, passed away.

A roof collapse more than a mile underground killed a 53-year-old employee in April.

The mine received four citations following the first accident and is facing nearly $1 million in penalties reported AP: 

The investigation report cited Lucky Friday management for failing to install adequate ground support systems and neglecting to test the stability of the area where the collapse that killed (Larry) Marek occurred.

 


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