Four people died Wednesday as a result of an accident at the decommissioned Sullivan mine in Kimberley in southeastern British Columbia.
(CBC)
FROM SEPT. 1, 2000: Sullivan Mine closure
"It's devastating," said David Parker, a spokesman for mine owner Teck Cominico.
Parker said the victims included a mine worker, a consultant and two paramedics. He said they don't know what caused the accident and didn't want to speculate.
Kimberley Mayor James Ogilvie said the four people were transported to the regional hospital in Cranbrook, which is about a 30-minute drive south of the municipality.
Details are sketchy, but the Canadian Press reported that someone doing reclamation work in the old mine called 911, saying someone had been hurt in a shaft.
When the paramedics arrived, they were also overcome and suffered suspected cardiac arrest, said a government official.
Ogilvie said the local fire department was then called in to help.
"Our fire department responded to a call that was given to us by the B.C. Ambulance Service, requesting assistance up at the mine site. Our people went there and found there [were] at least four people in serious difficulty.
"The problem occurred at a pumping station. Just exactly what has happened we don't know . . ."
The Sullivan mine was the world's largest lead-zinc mine from 1917 to 2001, when it was closed by Teck Cominco.
Kimberley has a population of nearly 7,000, and has been redeveloping itself as a tourist and retirement destination since the mine's closure.