Elliot Lake’s mining pioneers can relate to this. Mine rescue teams from Northern Ontario were praised by Timmins – James Bay MP Charlie Angus in the House of Commons. Angus told MPs how mine rescue got its start in Ontario. Ontario’s first mine rescue team was created in Timmins after the 1928 underground fire at the Hollinger Gold Mine in Timmins killed 39 miners. Ontario wasn’t equipped to deal with a disaster on this scale and an American rescue team boarded a train from Pennsylvania and sped to the site in a blizzard. The crew arrived too late to save the miners but the tragedy helped create Ontario Mine Rescue. Angus says today, Ontario’s mine rescue teams are among the best in the world. He spoke about mine rescue following annual mine rescue competitions in the province.
