Mine rescue worker testifies at Sudbury mining inquest

A warning: This story contains details readers may find disturbing

A coroner's jury is hearing some vivid testimony about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Jordan Fram and Jason Chenier, who died in a violent run of muck at Sudbury's Stobie Mine back in 2011.

Yesterday, the jury heard from mine rescue worker Mark Bardswich, who helped recover Jordan Fram's body.

Workers had already recovered the body of Jason Chenier when Bardswich arrived.

Bardswich said the air was muggy and sticky when he arrived at the accident scene that June night, and said he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the entrance to the ore pass.

He said he was faced with a wall of soupy and sandy muck, with chunks the size of a small garbage can.

The body of Jason Chenier had been found already in the fourth bucket of a scoop tram working at the scene.

Bardswich said Jordan Fram's head and shoulders were exposed when he got there.

He said a small vehicle with a little scoop was brought in to take small bucketfuls of the muck away, and added people were also trying to scoop the soupy substance with their hands.

However, it still took an hour to retrieve the men because the muck kept running.

Fram was pinned up against the wall of the ore pass by the force of the muck, he said.

The coroner's jury is expected to hear from Ministry of Labour inspectors Friday.