A year later, a look back at the Totten Mine rescue in Sudbury, Ont.
A year ago, 39 miners at Vale's Totten Mine in the Sudbury, Ont. area were trapped underground for four days when a scoop bucket got jammed in the main shaft.
It all started Sept. 26, 2021, and there were many anxious moments before all of them -- 38 men and one woman -- climbed or were pulled up 1,800 feet to get out -- the equivalent of the CN Tower.
"A year went by pretty quickly (because) it does seem like not that long ago," said Shawn Rideout, of Ontario Mine Rescue.
"(It) seems like a few weeks ago when we were sitting in conference rooms and discussing how we were going to evacuate 39 workers from Totten Mine. It seems unrealistic that we were working solid for between 40 and 72 hours to get these workers up safe to their families."
In a statement, a Vale spokesperson said they are glad things are back to normal.
"This is thanks to a lot of hard work, determination and a steadfast commitment to safety by our employees," the statement from Jeffrey Lewis said.
"We have now implemented new controls for slinging equipment at underground mines — an important change that reflects our commitment to continuous learning and safety."
Rideout said the whole operation was a huge success thanks to those involved leaning heavily on their training.
"Probably one of the best lessons I learned is to always keep extra socks with me," Rideout said.
"(After) 16 to 18 hours in a pair of socks, it’s the little luxuries that you wish you had with you. But, more seriously, that whole operation, whole mission, went very successfully and it's because … training that we provide that prepares these rescuers for what they’re going to encounter. It’s really reassuring for us that we’re on the right path and we’re preparing our volunteers and mine rescue officers for any challenge that they might see.
The training has only increased since the ordeal took place, Rideout said.
"Most recently, we just all signed off on our (National Fire Protection Association) fire courses," he said.
"We did advanced cardiac life support courses, so we turned a bunch of miners into nearly doctors. So we’re really advancing their knowledge and they’ve really accepted that challenge and are truly excelling at it."
Rideout said it's only fitting that one year later, he and his team are in Edmonton attending a symposium sharing their knowledge and experience surrounding rope rescue.
Correction
The total the trapped miners had to climb is equivalent to the height of the CN Tower, not two as initially reported.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.