Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MAN DIES IN RESCUE BID AT MUSHROOM FACTORY Proposal for gold mine is opposed by Gary killed trying to save brother councillors
A LOCAL authority is to object to plans for a gold mine in its area.
Members of Derry City and Strabane District Council were asked for their views on an application by Canadian firm Dalradian Gold.
A spokesman said the environment and regeneration committee “expressed concerns”.
These related in particular to the “impact mineral exploration could have on highly sensitive landscapes within the district and the environmental impacts of both prospecting and any future mining”.
He added: “They [councillors] believed no licence should be granted by the Department for the Economy for mineral prospecting in the area ahead of a public enquiry into the gold mining project at Greencastle, Co Tyrone, as part of a planning application in that area.”
A group of people protesting at Dalradian’s plans for the Sperrins gathered at the front of Derry’s Guildhall before the meeting.
Dalradian were contacted for comment. A YOUNG man died in a mushroom factory attempting to save his brother who got into difficulty in a wood chip silo.
Brave Gary Askin tried to help Stephen and another man at Mcgee Mushrooms in Cornacrieve, Emyvale, Co Monaghan.
When gardai arrived on the scene on Wednesday night they found the three men unconscious.
Sinn Fein councillor Brian Mckenna told the Mirror: “The whole community is in shock.
“It’s just one of those awful tragedies that happens and the whole area is in disbelief.”
Tragic Gary, who was in his 20s and from Emyvale, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Stephen and the other man, a foreign national, were transferred to Cavan General Hospital.
Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Investigations have been launched by the Garda and Health and Safety Authority. A postmortem was expected to take place yesterday.
A Garda spokesman said: “One man has died and two others were taken to hospital following an incident at a mushroom processing plant in Monaghan.
“At approximately 8pm [on Wednesday] emergency services received a call about three males in their 20s suffering from breathing difficulties at a mushroom processing plant at Cornacrieve, Emyvale.
“On arrival emergency services found three men unconscious in a silo at the plant.
“One man was pronounced dead at the scene and two others have been removed to Cavan General Hospital.”
The area was sealed off after the tragedy for a technical investigation by Garda crime scene examiners.
CO MONAGHAN YESTERDAY