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Miners were trapped in underground refuge chambers at a
gold mine in Waihi after a fire broke out. Follow live updates of
this developing situation here.
12.45pm:Grindlay said "all of our operations in Waihi operate under strict mining safety standards".
12.40pm: Waihi Gold general operations manager Glen Grindlay told a media conference that "everyone is accounted for and well".
12.30pm: ONE News reporter Kim Vinnell, who is in Waihi, said the last miners brought out would have been underground for about seven hours and were now recovering. The fire started under the bonnet of a 35 tonne truck, she said. One of the workers has received medical treatment, it is believed.
12.10pm: Green Party spokesperson for mining Catherine Delahunty said she was in Waihi yesterday so her thoughts were "very much with the community" after she heard the news.
"It is a small community so it is incredibly frightening for them," she said.
12.08pm: All miners are now on the surface.
11.50am:Coromandel Watchdog coordinator Renee Annan said: "We are thinking of the men underground and their families. And we are hoping for a successful rescue as soon as it is practical."
Watchdog is an incorporated society, founded in 1980, and acts as an umbrella group for local Coromandel Peninsula groups opposed to gold mining.
11.40am: The miners will be comfortable in the underground rescue chambers, mines safety advisor Dave Feickert told the Bay of Plenty Times.
11.30am: Newmont Gold says that all public inquiries about the fire should be made to 0800 NEWMONT (0800 639-6668).
11.23am: There have been no official reports of injuries following this morning's truck engine fire.
11.10am: Newmont Gold has stressed again that there is no risk of explosion.
11.05am: Three Newmont Waihi Gold Mines Rescue Teams are on site to assist with the evacuation. One of those teams is underground now, and two more are ready to assist. NZ Mines Rescue and Solid Energy have also offered help.
10.50am: Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga said the fire caused some concern initially. He said he would be seeking a report into what happened, Newstalk ZB reported.
10.45am: A media conference is to be held at midday. Follow the latest here on onenews.co.nz
10.40am: Families and the local community have been notified of the fire since early today, Newmont Waihi Gold said.
10.35am: The remaining 15 staff are in the third refuge chamber. Mines Rescue are currently proceeding towards that chamber.
10:30am: Of the 28 staff trapped underground, 13 have been evacuated to the surface.
10.25am: APNZ is reporting that mines rescue personnel are expected to bring some of the miners to the surface shortly.
10.15am: It is believed the miners can stay in the refuge chambers safely for up to 36 hours, the Bay of Plenty Times is reporting.
10.10am: The Department of Labour says two high hazard unit inspectors are on their way to the mine from Wellington.
10.05am: It has not been confirmed if the trapped miners are together in one place.
10am: It has been confirmed that there are 28 miners trapped at Newmont Waihi Gold's Trio underground mine.
At 5am a truck engine fire was reported from Newmont Waihi Gold's Trio underground mine.
All underground workers went to refuge chambers and reported by phone to surface. All personnel have been accounted for. There is no risk of explosion, the company said.
The mine:
Newmont Waihi Gold is owned by Newmont Mining Corporation, headquartered in Colorado, which is one of the world's largest gold producers.
In addition to its mine in New Zealand, it has operations in the US, Australia, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana and Mexico.
It was founded in 1921 and has around 43,000 employees and contractors.