Morton Salt has halted extraction at its Fairport Harbor salt mine in Lake County, Ohio, the company said Monday. The shutdown covers mining operations at the site. A spokesperson reported that water began entering the mine in significant volume on Oct. 22. The crew was pulled out right away, according to the spokesperson, and regulators were alerted. No one was hurt.
The company says it is consulting outside specialists and government regulators as it studies the water intrusion, weighs the effect on the mine and plans its response. Above-ground work at the site will be tightly restricted while the mine stays shut. Morton Salt is contacting customers and vendors, the spokesperson said.
The announcement gave no reopening schedule and did not say what caused the water to enter. It also did not specify how long the closure would last, how much water entered the mine or what action might follow the investigation.