FORESTHILL, Calif. — Two people were critically injured after explosives went off in a Placer County mine Friday morning, according to the Foresthill Fire Protection District.
Officials say they were called about an explosion around 9:43 a.m. at a mine in the Tahoe National Forest along Mosquito Ridge Road. Once on scene, they found two critically injured people who were working in the mine when the explosion went off.
Investigators say they found evidence showing "tools operated in the mine may have created static electricity causing nearby explosives to ignite." The mine has not been inspected and its status is currently unknown.
Officials from multiple agencies are investigating. Both miners were taken to the hospital via helicopter and their current status is unknown.
"Mining in the area is common and most mines are small individual operator claims. While mining is common, incidents involving mines in Placer County are very rare," said the Foresthill Fire Protection District in a press release.
Mosquito Ridge Road at the Foresthill Divide and Mosquito Ridge intersection through the intersection of Gorman Ranch and Mosquito Ridge was closed for a while but has since reopened.
No further information is available at this time.
