Explosion at Elkford coal mine injures four employees

Teck Resources said an explosion occurred on Monday in the coal dryer at its Greenhills coal mine near Elkford, British Columbia, and it had mobilised teams to control a brush fire triggered by the blast.

All employees, visitors and contractors have been accounted for, and four employees have been treated for minor smoke inhalation, Canada’s biggest base-metals miner said early Tuesday.

The cause of the accident is not known at this time, the company said.

The damage to the dryer building is extensive, and it is expected to be several days before the damage can be fully assessed and the extent of the interruption of production at Greenhills can be estimated, the Vancouver-based company said.

(Reporting by Anne Pallivathuckal in Bangalore, editing by Will Waterman)