A bus carrying workers from Myra Falls Mine rolled onto its side Wednesday evening, injuring 12 people of 16 people on board.
According to North Island Traffic Services’ Cpl. Scott Rennie, the accident happened around 6:45 p.m. on Highway 28 near Elk River Main Line.
David Keiver, human resources superintendent for NVI Mining, said while 12 people were taken to hospital, the injured mine workers seemed to be in “good shape.”
“Two of them were kept overnight for further observation, but everybody else was released after being checked out,” said Keiver. “Certainly they got some bumps and bruises – everybody seemed to be in very good shape so we’re quite pleased about that.”
However, the Mirror has learned that one man has more serious injuries – four broken ribs and a punctured lung – and will remain in hospital under observation.
Rennie said the accident is still under investigation, but winter driving conditions definitely played a part.
Road conditions were described as “extremely slippery, fresh wet snow, on top of an already wet roadway,” Rennie said. “Given what the weather conditions were at the time it would definitely have played a factor, as to what degree, well that’s still to be determined.”
NVI Mining employee Ed Judd told CTV News Vancouver Island he was in another bus that turned around when the bus behind them flipped on its side and slid down a short embankment of about three feet.
“It went on it’s side and all the windows on the side got busted out so some guys got cut, some guys have neck injuries, lacerations,” Judd told CTV.
He said many of the people on board his bus had their first aid certificates, as the course is paid for by NVI Mining, so employees from his bus helped until paramedics arrived.
“They went into action right way, got everybody off the bus, secured the injured parties until the ambulances got there,” Judd said.
Rennie said five or six ambulances attended as well as the fire department. Keiver said he is waiting on an RCMP accident report, but the bus is owned and operated by Wilson’s Transportation, and NVI Mining will work with the company to investigate the accident as well.
“We’ll work with them (Wilson’s Transportation) to conduct an incident investigation of our own, so that we’re fully aware of anything that may have contributed to that (the accident),” Keiver said.