Mining companies and emergency responders are attending the Atlantic Mine Rescue Competition and Symposium at the Glacier in Mount Pearl today.

The event comes at a time when China has just experienced one of its deadliest mining accidents in years.

Companies including Vale, Rio Tinto, and Windsor Salts are competing in a variety of emergency response and rescue scenarios.

A mock underground mine has been created inside the Glacier, allowing teams to compete in high rope rescue, first aid, fire fighting and underground mine rescue.

Mike Owens, a spokesperson for the event, says it sprang from recommendations out of the Westray explosion in Plymouth, Nova Scotia in 1992 which killed all 26 miners.

“There’s a rope rescue event which includes scaffolding; we have built an underground mine complete with many props which reflect an actual mining operation,” he says.

The event, which runs today until 4:00 p.m., is open to the public free of charge.