17 Trapped Miners Rescued in New York

They were stuck overnight in an elevator
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 7, 2016 7:12 AM CST
Updated Jan 7, 2016 7:49 AM CST
Rescue Underway for 17 Miners Trapped in NY
This photo shows a crane assisting in the rescue of 17 miners stuck in an underground elevator at the Cargill Salt Mine.   (Ithaca Fire Department via AP)

All 17 miners trapped overnight in an elevator more than 70 stories below ground have been rescued in upstate New York. Miners at the Cargill salt mine in Lansing were starting their shift around 10pm Wednesday when an elevator became jammed 775 feet down an access shaft, officials say. Cargill rep Mark Klein says no one was injured in the incident and rescue workers were in "constant contact" with the miners, per NBC News and the AP.

Emergency crews, including the Ithaca Fire Department, worked through the night to deliver radios, heat packs, blankets, and water to the miners, per PIX11. A crane arrived from Auburn, NY, early Thursday and helped lift miners out of the shaft, reports the Ithaca Journal. The first four miners were lifted to the surface around 7am ET, according to a post on Ithaca Fire's Facebook page. Officials say they're investigating what caused the elevator to jam. (More miners stories.)

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