Equipment fall at K+S Legacy mine under investigation

A large container used for the production of potash fell down in the early hours of Sunday morning at the K+S Legacy mine site west of Regina.

"The vessel is a large piece of equipment inside the production facility," Maeghan Dubois, a communications official for the company, said Sunday. No one was seriouslyhurt and Dubois added that no workers needed medical attention in hospital.

She added that the facility is still a construction site and workers are shifted through all hours of the day and week. She said Sunday night that the site was on a temporary "stand-down."

According to a statement from K+S, the vessel fell due to a "failure" of its support structure. The vessel was being tested at the time.

It is one of several in the facility that is used to process potash-rich brine.

An investigation has been launched and notifications to appropriate authorities have been made.

Additional information would be released as it became available.

The construction phaseof the mine has involved some 3,000 workers. Once it goes into production it is anticipated the mine will have about 100 permanent workers.

In a recent tour, officials said the project was on budget and on time for commissioning this summer with delivery of product to markets shortly after that.