Fire in Tennessee Zinc Mine Traps 3 Miners

NEW MARKET, Tenn. — A fire broke out inside a zinc mine in Tennessee on Wednesday, trapping three miners inside and injuring two others, authorities said.

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The trapped miners were speaking to rescuers, and authorities believed they may be able to reach them within the next hour, said Sammy Solomon, captain of the New Market Volunteer Fire and Rescue in Jefferson County.

Some miners escaped unharmed. It was not clear yet how the fire started.

The zinc mine is about 25 miles northeast of Knoxville. Solomon said the fire on a drill rig was about 800 feet deep. The two injured miners were taken to a hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said the fire started around 1:10 p.m. Eastern. The state labor department has a mine rescue team on their way to assist.

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