Three miners remain trapped 600m underground after two ground falls at Red Chris mine in northern B.C. Rescue efforts are underway; all believed to be safe.
Miners Trapped in Red Chris Mine, Northern B.C.
Three miners—two from British Columbia and one from Ontario—are trapped underground following a pair of geological incidents at the Red Chris copper and gold mine in northern B.C., Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday. The mine is located on Tahltan Nation territory, near Dease Lake, approximately 420 km west of Fort Nelson.
Incident Timeline and Location
The trapping incident began Tuesday morning when two “fall-of-ground” events occurred in an underground tunnel. These incidents blocked the access route to a work area roughly 600 metres inside the mine. While Premier Eby initially stated the incident happened overnight, mine owner Newmont Corporation later clarified the sequence occurred earlier Tuesday.
Safety Measures and Current Status
Newmont confirmed that the trapped workers—contractors employed by Hy-Tech Drilling—were safely relocated to a designated underground refuge station after the initial ground fall. Each refuge station is equipped with enough food, water, and ventilation to support up to 16 people for several days. Contact was initially established, but a second collapse later disrupted communications. No injuries have been reported.
Emergency Response Underway
A full standdown of mining operations is now in effect as specialized mine rescue teams—some of the best globally, according to Premier Eby—focus solely on recovery efforts. “Our priority remains the safety of the three individuals and the emergency crews,” Newmont stated. Various technologies and methods are being deployed to restore communication and secure their release.
Underground Operations and Future Plans
The workers were reportedly preparing the site for a transition to “block cave” mining, a complex underground extraction technique scheduled to begin in the next three years. According to the United Steelworkers Local 1-1937, which does not represent the trapped workers, the men were boring an initial tunnel when the collapse occurred. The union described the incident as unprecedented in its local mining history.
Mine Background and Community Context
Red Chris mine has been operating since 2015 and is one of several projects the B.C. government has fast-tracked amid global resource tensions. Despite this, Newmont has pledged to uphold a thorough consultation process with the Tahltan Nation. In a February letter, the company emphasized that Indigenous consent remains vital, stating, “The process must allow for meaningful deliberation.”
Community Hope and Vigilance
As the situation unfolds, concern and hope ripple through the local and national mining communities. “You always feel for anybody in this type of situation,” said union VP Nolan Paquette. While no timeline for rescue completion has been provided, officials remain cautiously optimistic.
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