4:55 p.m. update:
Kirkland Lake Gold informs TimminsToday that there was in fact no fire at its Macassa Mine today.
Chris Stewart, vice-president of operations for the company, said a worker noticed a flame through a bolt hole, prompting an evacuation.
He said a mine rescue team found "no smoke, no gas" and no fire at all was detected. He said the battery bay where the incident occurred will be investigated.
Stewart issued the following update this afternoon on Kirkland Lake Gold's Facebook page:
"We are pleased to report that our Mine Rescue team successfully travelled to the Battery Bay on 5300L where a fire had been reported at 12:15 pm today and no fire was encountered.
Our Mine Rescue Team is currently on their way back to surface. Once the Team arrives on surface the all clear will be given and we will start bringing our Day Shift crews to surface.
All Night Shift crews should report to work as per their regularly scheduled times tonight."
TimminsToday earlier reported that mine rescue workers were responding to a fire.
3:23 p.m. original story:
A team of Kirkland Mine Rescuers is responding to a report of fire at Kirkland Lake Gold this afternoon.
The extent of the fire emergency is not known at this time.
A team of mine rescuers from the Timmins area has been ordered to Kirkland Gold to provide backup for the Kirkland rescue team by Shawn Rideout, Chief Mine Rescue Officer for Ontario Mine Rescue in Sudbury.
It is Rideout’s office that co-ordinates mine rescue operations in northeastern Ontario.
Rideout said sending the Timmins rescue crew is just a contingent measure in case their backup is required.
“It’s a precaution,” Rideout said. “We don’t know the extent of the fire and if more help is needed they will be there to help.”
“The priority right now is to put out the fire,” Rideout added.
Ontario Mine Rescue co-ordinates rescue operations at Ontario’s mines. It is part of Workplace Safety North (WSN) an independent not-for-profit health and safety organization, funded by a portion of the premiums that member workplaces pay to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
WSN member firms are companies in Ontario's mining, forestry, paper, printing and converting sectors. WSN also provides health and safety services to businesses in all sectors across northern Ontario.
