LEAD - State, federal and local emergency response teams put their training to the test Thursday during a daylong drill at the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority buildings at the old Homestake mine in Lead.

The drill, coordinated by the South Dakota National Guard, was held at the mine but was not connected with operations there. The mine and its miles of underground workings are in the process of being converted to a national deep underground science and engineering laboratory.

First responders from Lead responded to the mine's above-ground training building to a report of seven "victims" suffering the effects of an unknown toxin inside the building.

As the drill developed, Lead fire chief Tim Eggers assumed management of the drill as incident commander. From there, Eggers brought in other emergency crews from Deadwood, Lead-Deadwood Regional Hospital and the South Dakota National Guard 82nd Civil Support Team.

Federal evaluators were on the scene to score the National Guard members' knowledge, response and investigation of the scene.

Guard members have a mobile lab that can test for mystery toxins and help direct local officials for cleanup.