600CKAT

Premier Dalton McGuinty says the people of Elliot Lake have the prayers and support of all Ontarians.   He says his message to them is “You are not alone.”      The Premier has also spoken with Stephen Harper by phone and the prime minister says he’s more than willing to ensure access to military personnel, expertise or equipment.    After being called off Monday afternoon, rescue efforts are resuming at McGuinty’s urging.      At a news conference Tuesday morning, the Premier says there’s a real risk in all this saying it’s not unlike a house of cards.  Meantime, officials in Elliot Lake say they’re planning to start dismantling part of a collapsed shopping mall in order to rescue anyone still trapped inside.    Bill Needles of the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team says heavy machinery is on its way to the northern Ontario city to help clear a path to anyone still inside the Algo Centre Mall.     He says a dangerously unstable escalator that forced crews to turn back Monday will be deliberately knocked over and will fall away from the two victims trapped in the rubble.     He says rescue teams will then clear a path from the door at the south corner of the mall.    One person is confirmed dead but the status of a second person believed to be alive Monday morning is unknown.

(The Canadian Press)