CRANBROOK - The tragic circumstances that led to four fatalities at a water sampling shed at the decommissioned Sullivan mine on May 15 - 17, 2006 was an unprecedented incident caused by an oxygen-deficient atmosphere, the Province's chief inspector of mines Fred Hermann has concluded.
"The incident was caused by an oxygen-deficient atmosphere. However, previous to this incident, there was no indication of a problem at the sampling shed or anywhere on the mine site," said Hermann. "We have clearly established the cause of death of the four victims, but this accident is unprecedented in the history of mining and the process that led to the oxygen-depleted atmosphere has not, to our knowledge, occurred anywhere else in the world."
