Investigation into mining fatality continues

The investigation continues into the death of a miner at the newest mining operation in the city, the Liberty Mines Redstone nickel mine in Eldorado Township.
According to information from Ontario Provincial Police and the Ministry of Labour, 46 year old Calvin “Cal” Parkinson died sometime shortly after eight oclock Saturday morning. He was working near the 1300 foot level of the mine.
According to police and the Ministry of Labour, a large piece of heavy equipment was involved in the accident. Ontario Ministry of Labour spokesperson Bruce Skeaf says it appears the victim may have been hit by a six-yard scooptram. A scooptram is normally used for ore haulage and dumping, and also to remove muck from freshly blasted drifts.
Skeaf says the scene of the accident has been roped off until a ministry investigator can examine the scene thoroughly. All information and evidence gathered will be presented at a coroner’s inquest, to be held at a later date. Under the Coroner’s Act in Ontario, an inquest must be held whenever a miner is killed on the job.
Parkinson lived in Timmins. He is survived by his wife and four sons. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Miron Wilson funeral home in Timmins.
This is the third mining death in the Timmins area this year. In July 25-year old Lyle Dufoe died at Xstrata’s Kidd Mine when the scooptram he was on went over the edge of a deep stope that was being backfilled. In October, 38-year old Dennis Cloutier died from injuries after he was hit by a piece of falling rock, in a raise, at the Porcupine Gold Mine’s Hoyle Pond mine.
As yet, no information has been released on when inquests will be held into either of those deaths. It is not unusual for inquests to occur up to a year after a death has occurred in the workplace.