UPDATED June 9 at 4:40 p.m.
Greater Sudbury Police have released the names of the miners killed in an accident at Stobie Mine June 8. Thirty-five-year-old Jason Chenier and 26-year-old Jordan Fram were killed in the incident.
Original story:
Two Vale employees were killed at approximately 10 p.m. Wednesday night at Stobie Mine when an unscheduled run of “muck” came down an ore pass and overtook the miners on the 3,000 foot level.
The names have been withheld by Vale out of “respect for the families and friends” of the miners, company officials said.
One miner had 11 years experience with Vale, while the other had six years of service with the company.
“Both individuals were skilled employees and wonderful people,” Vale Ontario Operations general manager Jon Treen said at a press conference in Copper Cliff Thursday morning.
“They were loved and respected by their co-workers. The incident is being investigated by the Ministry of Labour, Sudbury Regional police services, Vale representatives and (Steelworkers Local 6500).
“The individuals were working in an area of an ore pass at approximately 10 p.m. when a run of material we call 'muck' occurred (and) overtook both individuals.
“Mine rescue was dispatched. However both individuals were found with no vitals and pronounced dead at the scene. This is a devastating loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends and co-workers of these employees. We're all feeling the loss deeply.”
The two miners were the only individuals working in the area at the time of the tragedy. Some 60 employees, who were working underground at the time of the incident at Stobie Mine, were immediately evacuated to the surface and all were accounted for.
Vale Ontario Operations manager Jon Treen speaks at a June 9 press conference about the deaths of two miners at Stobie Mine. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.
The day and night shift at Stobie Mine has been cancelled for Thursday. Vale officials will decide over the next 24 hours when to resume operations at the mine site. All other Vale operations will continue to operate.
A total of 16 mine rescue team members were dispatched to the 3,000-level to perform their duties.
Mine rescue members assembled at Stobie Mine and went underground within an hour and 20 minutes of the incident. They reportedly encountered a lot of muck.
The muck material goes through ore passes underground, from one level to another, to a conveyor belt to be lifted to the surface. At the time the miners were killed, there was no scheduled run of muck for that area.
“We aren't fully aware of the circumstances,” Treen said. “There was no scheduled run of muck. We had 16 tremendous individuals put in a valiant and strong effort. It took us a while to recover the one individual. The mine rescue team did a tremendous job.”
The incident is now under investigation by Vale officials, Steelworkers officials, Sudbury police and the Ministry of Labour.
There was no clear time-line given by Treen as to when the investigations will conclude and and the cause of the incident determined.
“We have a good investigation team ... they will do an excellent job,” he said. “We're concentrating our efforts on understanding exactly what happened and what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future.”
Greater Sudbury Police are heavily involved in the investigation at this time.
“Any time there is a mining fatality or industrial accident, the police play a critical role in the investigation,” Staff Sgt. Rick Waugh said.
“In fact, we take the lead position in the investigation until the circumstances can be determined there is no criminal act that lead to the accident or death.
“Although we take the lead role in the early stages, once it has been determined there has been no criminal act that lead to this tragedy, the leads role turns to the Ministry of Labour.”
The incident had members of the Vale workforce rattled to the core.
“On behalf of the Steelworkers, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the two families involved, and until the investigation is complete we really can't comment on the particulars,” Joe Guido, Steelworkers recording secretary for health and safety environment committee, said.
“It would be unfair to do.”
Greater Sudbury mayor Marianne Matichuk attended the press conference. Matichuk stated the community is here to help the families and friends affected by the tragedy.
“We're here to support you,” she said. “It is a sad day for our community. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends. It is emotional. It is a very sad day.”
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas was woken from her sleep late Wednesday night when she was told the news.
“I was sleeping and my Blackberry started going off,” Gélinas said.
“After a while my husband said 'You better go see what is happening.' Then the phone calls started to come.”
Gélinas said she expects the citizens of Greater Sudbury to unite and help with the healing process.
“Sudbury is a big city, but at the same time, it has this small community feel. We all know someone who works for the mines...It's time to rally together and support one another.”
- Posted by Heather Green-Oliver
