A group of Canadian miners trapped by a fire in a potash mine for 24 hours in central Canada were finally brought to the surface today after the mine was cleared of fire and smoke.
The fire, which broke out early yesterday at the mine in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan, had forced 70 miners to rush to safety in emergency refuge rooms.
It was unclear whether all 70 miners had been brought to the surface or just the first group.
Mine officials had originally said they had lost radio contact with 30 of the miners but later found them safe in a refuge room. Miners at the site reported smoke about a half mile underground yesterday morning.
The miners had been pinned in several safe rooms as firefighters battled the blaze and then focused on clearing the smoke from the mine so the workers could be safely evacuated.
The fire was finally put out, and rescuers began the task of ventilating the mine, a process made slower by the size of the mine, about 18.6 miles (30 kilometres) by 12 miles.
The mine is near the provincial border with Manitoba.