Finger Lakes Rescue: All 17 Salt Miners Trapped Underground Brought to Surface
”With a crane brought in from Auburn, crews were able to free all 17 miners who were stuck 900 feet below ground in an elevator. Philip O\’Driscoll and Brad Vivacqua have the latest.”
LANSING, N.Y. — According to officials, all 17 miners have been brought to the surface via a crane after more than a dozen were trapped underground at the Cayuga Salt Mine.
With a crane brought in from Auburn, crews worked to free all 17 miners who are trapped 900 feet below ground in an elevator. It\’s was about a 45 minute round trip for the crane operator to get each group out.
Tompkins County Emergency Management says they were notified of the situation around 11:40 p.m. Wednesday night. They say the crew was on its way down to the mine, when the elevator malfunctioned.
They were in constant communication with the miners since that time, lowering food to them and making sure everyone is okay.
There are no injuries to the miners, and officials say the workers were and still are in good spirits.
The crane was capable of bringing up to six people up at a time, and they had everyone out in three to four trips.
The Assistant Director of Tompkins County Emergency Management Beth Harrington says that there was not really a concern about oxygen levels because the crew was less than half way down in the mine.
She said the only concern was really exposure to cold temperature, but they had supplies being given to them all night, blankets, hand warmers, hot drinks so she said that risk was minimal. But, she did say she cannot recall something like this ever happening before.
\’I mean the salt mines have been here forever, I think they go back to the 1920s, but not that I\’m aware that this kind of rescue has been needed,\’ Harrington said.
STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO:
“Earlier this morning, 17 miners became trapped in an underground mine car at the Cargill Salt Mines in Tompkins County, New York. Following a coordinated rescue effort that spanned multiple hours and involved emergency personnel from throughout the region, all 17 individuals have been rescued and are in good health.
“I have directed a team of inspectors from the Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Protection, and the Department of Labor’s Division of Safety and Health to the site to do a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding last night\’s incident. The health and safety of New York\’s workforce is paramount and every step will be taken to ensure this incident is not repeated in the future, and anyone potentially at fault is held accountable.
“On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want to thank the dedicated first responders who worked tirelessly through the night to ensure the safe return of these miners. This is the perfect example of New Yorkers coming together in times of need, and I am grateful for the efforts of all those involved in this operation.”(TWC News)