Post by Rick (Admin) on Sept 11, 2012 18:13:46 GMT -5
Cave-in at the Moneta Mine site as a result of subsidence, 1963
Same property but in 2004
A massive sinkhole near downtown Timmins caused devastation and chaos Monday morning.
As many as 12 cars, trucks and other pieces of equipment, including a 40-foot trailer, were swallowed in the sinkhole at the corner of Railway Street and Knox Avenue.As if all this wasn’t enough, the nearby area was hit by a flash flood.
Fortunately, no one was killed, or injured.
But hundreds of people were stunned by the spectacle on property used by Raymond’s Garage.
Tony Raymond, owner of Raymond’s, said all hell broke loose at about 8 a.m.
“I saw it happening and I just yelled to everybody to get out,” Raymond said.
Officials report the sinkhole took place above an old underground working of the Moneta mine, which ceased operation in the 1940s.
A similar cave in took place on the same property in 1963.
Water is believed to have eroded the sand, creating large open pockets beneath the surface. The surface gave way and a sinkhole developed.
With the collapse, the pressure caused the water in the shaft to erupt like a geyser.
“The pressure lifted a cement shaft cap causing tidal waves which submerged the streets with 1½ feet of water,” said Fire Chief Lester Cudmore.
Flooding extended from the corner of Railway and Knox southward to Moneta Avenue.
Police and fire crews were on site as well as Ministry of Northern Development and Mines personnel.
“In 1963 when this property first experienced problems with sink holes, three buses were lost,” Cudmore said. “In my understanding they are still there.”
However, the incident was not unexpected said Francis Yungwirth, CEO of Moneta Mines.
“It sort of comes with the territory, it’s not 100 per cent surprising when you have underground mines and empty spaces,” Yungwirth said.
The vehicles that collapsed into the hole were all owned by Raymond’s. None of the vehicles belong to customers, said Mike Raymond, brother of the owner of the business.
“There are more than 10 pieces of equipment at the bottom of the sink hole right now including a 40-foot trailer, two wreckers, two trucks and two half-tons,” Cudmore said at the scene Monday afternoon.
All the vehicles were removed from the hole by 7 p.m.
Hundreds of spectators gathered through the day to watch developments. Police barricaded the area. Construction workers erected six-foot fences to secure the property to protect the public from injury.
“The property has been deemed as mine workings and unsafe for the public and business,” Cudmore said.
The owner is taking things in stride.
“Right now I am closed for business as I have been evicted but I will be getting back into business,” Raymond said.
However, Raymond said he does not have another place to relocate to and does not know what he will do.
In January of this year Raymond said Moneta mines conducted a regular inspection of his area.
In light of the delicate area, “an inspection is done in the spring and fall sometimes it’s done with Rob Ferguson (a sink hole expert) from Ministry of Northern Development and Mines,” Yungwirth said.
A sinkhole near Acklands
Same property but in 2004
A massive sinkhole near downtown Timmins caused devastation and chaos Monday morning.
As many as 12 cars, trucks and other pieces of equipment, including a 40-foot trailer, were swallowed in the sinkhole at the corner of Railway Street and Knox Avenue.As if all this wasn’t enough, the nearby area was hit by a flash flood.
Fortunately, no one was killed, or injured.
But hundreds of people were stunned by the spectacle on property used by Raymond’s Garage.
Tony Raymond, owner of Raymond’s, said all hell broke loose at about 8 a.m.
“I saw it happening and I just yelled to everybody to get out,” Raymond said.
Officials report the sinkhole took place above an old underground working of the Moneta mine, which ceased operation in the 1940s.
A similar cave in took place on the same property in 1963.
Water is believed to have eroded the sand, creating large open pockets beneath the surface. The surface gave way and a sinkhole developed.
With the collapse, the pressure caused the water in the shaft to erupt like a geyser.
“The pressure lifted a cement shaft cap causing tidal waves which submerged the streets with 1½ feet of water,” said Fire Chief Lester Cudmore.
Flooding extended from the corner of Railway and Knox southward to Moneta Avenue.
Police and fire crews were on site as well as Ministry of Northern Development and Mines personnel.
“In 1963 when this property first experienced problems with sink holes, three buses were lost,” Cudmore said. “In my understanding they are still there.”
However, the incident was not unexpected said Francis Yungwirth, CEO of Moneta Mines.
“It sort of comes with the territory, it’s not 100 per cent surprising when you have underground mines and empty spaces,” Yungwirth said.
The vehicles that collapsed into the hole were all owned by Raymond’s. None of the vehicles belong to customers, said Mike Raymond, brother of the owner of the business.
“There are more than 10 pieces of equipment at the bottom of the sink hole right now including a 40-foot trailer, two wreckers, two trucks and two half-tons,” Cudmore said at the scene Monday afternoon.
All the vehicles were removed from the hole by 7 p.m.
Hundreds of spectators gathered through the day to watch developments. Police barricaded the area. Construction workers erected six-foot fences to secure the property to protect the public from injury.
“The property has been deemed as mine workings and unsafe for the public and business,” Cudmore said.
The owner is taking things in stride.
“Right now I am closed for business as I have been evicted but I will be getting back into business,” Raymond said.
However, Raymond said he does not have another place to relocate to and does not know what he will do.
In January of this year Raymond said Moneta mines conducted a regular inspection of his area.
In light of the delicate area, “an inspection is done in the spring and fall sometimes it’s done with Rob Ferguson (a sink hole expert) from Ministry of Northern Development and Mines,” Yungwirth said.
A sinkhole near Acklands
