UPDATED: Teck officials confirm three injured in explosion at Greenhills Mine near Elkford
By Nelson Daily Staff
Teck Resources Limited reported that there has been an explosion at the Greenhills Coal Mine outside Elkford, sending three people to hospital.
In a media release the mining company said that “a flash fire occurred in the dryer complex at Teck’s Greenhills Operation near Elkford British Columbia today at approximately 11: a.m. Mountain Time.”
Teck confirmed original reports that three injured workers were not in the room at the time of the explosion.
The two men and woman were outside the room but were taken by BC Ambulance to Fernie and Sparwood hospitals to be treated for third-degree burns and smoke inhalation.
“The fire was quickly extinguished,” the release said.
“All employees, visitors and contractors at site have been accounted for. Three employees have received non-life threatening injuries.”
Teck officials said the cause of the incident is not known at this time but the appropriate regulatory authorities have been notified and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident.
“There is no major impact to the operation.”
Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy.
The Greenhills mine is operated by Teck Resources Ltd and is located eight kilometres northeast of Elkford, in southeastern BC and consists of 11,806 hectares of coal lands.
Greenhills experienced an explosion in 2010 that happened in a coal dryer. Four people suffered minor injuries in the blast.
