Two miners killed at Getchell Complex

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Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1999 | 9:41 a.m.

KOLO-TV in Reno said the accident apparently involved a partial tunnel collapse at the Turquoise Ridge Mine, which closed in July because of falling gold prices.

Mine officials did not immediately confirm any cause and would not release the names of the dead workers. The Humboldt County sheriff's office said nobody was available to comment Tuesday night.

Placer Dome Inc., Canada's No. 2 gold producer behind Barrick Gold Corp., acquired the Getchell properties from Denver-based Getchell Gold Corp. May 27.

It closed the Turquoise operation two months later, although some development work continued in anticipation of strengthening gold prices.

The Turquoise Ridge mine also claimed the life of another worker in February. Thomas Gross Jr. was killed when a hose on the compressed air system broke loose and hit him in the head.