The Internatsionalny diamond mine Image credit: ALROSA
A load-haul-dump vehicle caught fire at the ALROSA Internatsionalny diamond mine, according to Interfax citing Yakutia’s Ministry of Emergencies. At that moment, there were 98 people in the mine, all of whom were said to be evacuated to the surface. According to the Ministry of Emergencies, the level of the air-gas mixture in the mine remains normal.
The fire is being extinguished by two teams of the Yakutian Paramilitary Mine Rescue Squad consisting of 15 people and two pieces of equipment.
On June 25, ALROSA decided to suspend operations at Internatsionalny as some of its employees had been infected with coronavirus. The company said then that only the services that ensure “safe operation of the critical infrastructure at the mine” will continue their work. Preliminarily, the company intended to idle the mine for one to two weeks.
