Two people died when the ceiling in a salt mine fell in Louisiana, authorities and the mine operator said.
A portion of the ceiling in a part of the underground mine on Avery Island came down on Dec. 14. Sixteen employees were evacuated with no injuries reported, KATC-TV reported.
Rescuers found the two victims the next day, the mine operator, Cargill Deicing Technology, said in a statement.
The were identified as 27-year-old Lance Begnaud of Broussard and 41-year-old Rene Romero of New Iberia.
“Our hearts are broken for our colleagues and their families,” Cargill said.
The company said it was now focused on completing an investigation of the collapse in coordination with the federal Mine Health and Safety Administration.
The mine received more than 50 safety citations this year, according to news outlets. One of the citations, issued Dec. 3, noted hazardous ground conditions. Cargill has said “there is no indication” the collapse was related to safety violations that federal inspectors discovered this month.
Topics Louisiana
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