Preliminary Report - Fatality #16 & #17- November 17, 2013

A miner entered an area of the mine where an explosive had been previously detonated. When he did not emerge, the shift foreman went in to search for him. Eventually they were both found by other miners working in the area, and those miners immediately evacuated the mine. Mine rescue teams entered the mine and found the two miners. During the recovery operation, they detected fatal levels of carbon monoxide. The teams brought the victims to the surface. Twenty miners were taken to the hospital, and three were kept overnight. All 20 have since been released.