UPDATE, 10:50am, Sat., Jan. 2: The company is reporting that investigators released the scene at about 10:00pm, deeming it safe to return to work. The investigation is ongoing.

Timmins is marking the start of 2021 with a fatality in its mining industry.

Lake Shore Gold says there was an incident underground at 3:30pm Friday. Spokesman Marcel Cardinal says “one person has passed away”.  That person was working for a contractor at the Timmins West mine, but Cardinal won’t specify which contractor.

The Timmins Police Service and the provincial labour ministry are investigating.