ICL UK suspends operations at Boulby after fire
Operations at ICL UK’s Boulby potash mine in Northeast England have been suspended today after a fire broke out underground early this morning. Emergency services were called to the scene and the mine’s rescue team was deployed to tackle the incident.
ICL UK said the fire has now been extinguished and all workers in the mine at the time of incident were located and brought to the surface. Seven workers affected by smoke were taken to hospital for checks but a spokesperson for the company said all seven have since been discharged. ICL UK said HM Inspectorate of Mines are at the mine and the company will be working with them to carry out a full investigation into the incident. According to local media reports, polystyrene blocks, which are meant to be a fire retardant, are believed to have caught fire in the mine.