'History was made here': Remembering the Moose River Gold Mine rescue in Nova Scotia
CTV
It's been nearly 90 years since three men were rescued from a gold mine in Nova Scotia, and an event will remember the rescue efforts.
It's been nearly 90 years since three men were rescued from a gold mine in Nova Scotia.
On April 12, 1936, mine owners, Dr. David Robertson and Herman Magill, along with timekeeper, Alfred Scadding, were trapped 141 feet underground after supports gave way causing a roof collapse in the Moose River gold mine.
"They were trapped there for 10 days. The rescue effort that took place was huge. Miners came from all over the country to try and rescue these men," said Betty Belmore with the Moose River Gold Mine Museum Society.
The Salvation Army said its Emergency Disaster Services team was on scene during the rescue efforts to serve food and hot beverages, and to provide supports to rescuers, community members, and the loved ones of those trapped.
"This is a remote area of Nova Scotia that has no cell service, has no good communication. It would have been a dirt road in the 1930s. We still came. We're still here. We're still connected to the community," said John Bignell, with the Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services.
After six days of rescue efforts, there were no signs of survivors. Just when officials were about to abandon their work, they were finally about to make contact with the three men.
"There were lots of people who had given up, but there were still many who did not give up on the idea that there were people down there still living," said Belmore.
