Nevada Mine Crash Kills Safety Worker, Trainee

BATTLE MOUNTAIN, NV — A safety coordinator and a mine trainee were killed Tuesday in a collision at the Marigold mine northwest of Battle Mountain, federal safety regulators said. Eight other people were taken to a hospital following a fatal collision, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday.

The two victims died when the van they were riding in was run over by a haul truck, agency spokeswoman Amy Louviere said. The haul truck driver was hospitalized for treatment of shock, she said. Seven trainees who were passengers in the van were taken to a hospital and later released.

The federal agency had several personnel on site and started a formal investigation into the cause of the accident, Louviere said.

The names of the victims have not been released.

Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Allen said his office is assisting in the investigation.

Operations at the open pit mine were suspended indefinitely, said Paul Benson, president and CEO of SSR Mining Inc. based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Company officials were deeply saddened by the loss of their colleagues and offered their heartfelt sympathy to their families, he said in a statement.

They are cooperating fully with the investigators to determine the cause of the accident, he said.

Photo credit: Pixabay