UPDATE: On Monday, June 20, 2022, Giles County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from the Lhoist Chemical Lime Plant in Ripplemead at approximately 3:58 p.m. Personnel from Giles Sheriff’s Office, Pembroke Fire Department, Giles Rescue Squad, Carilion EMS, Newport Rescue Squad, and Celco Emergency Response Team were dispatched to respond.
Upon their arrival, personnel was advised of an incident inside the mine. An excavator had been engulfed by materials inside of the mine, entrapping one individual inside of the cab of the equipment. An additional worker had sustained minor lime chemical burns from attempting a rescue of the equipment operator. That individual was treated and released by EMS at the scene. Both injured individuals were identified to be employees of Gillmann Services, Inc., a contractor that is operating at the facility. All other mine personnel were safe and accounted for at this time.
First responders entered the mine and assisted mine workers with extricating the equipment operator out of the cab of the equipment, which had been knocked on its side and engulfed by the materials inside the mine. The equipment operator was found to be deceased at that time; personnel safely extricated the individual from the mine without further incident.
All first responders cleared the scene at 6:44 pm. The mine will remain shut down while the incident is under investigation.
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UPDATE: Authorities confirmed that one person was hurt as a result of the incident, but said that there could be more.
According to WSLS.com, one person is hurt, but no one is trapped after a mine collapsed at a Giles County lime plant.
Authorities said that 911 was called just before 4 p.m. for the incident at Lhoist Chemical Lime Plant in Ripplemead.
Everyone is out of the mine and accounted for, officials said.
According to Giles County Emergency Services, this mine is shut down.
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GILES COUNTY, VA (LOOTPRESS) – Emergency crews are on the scene of a mine collapse in Giles County, Virginia, just across the West Virginia state line.
The Giles County Sheriff’s Department says multiple agencies are on scene of an emergency operation at the Lhoist Chemical Lime plant in Ripplemead. No information is being released at this time.
Currently, injuries are unknown.
Stay with LOOTPRESS for updates.