Seventeen workers of Cargill‘s Cayuga mine in Lansing, New York, US, have been rescused after being trapped in an elevator 900ft below ground for ten hours.
As part of rescue efforts, a crane provided by Auburn Crane & Rigging has been transported to the site to bring employees to the surface.
Cargill mine manager Shawn Wilczynski said that the miners were all in good health.
Wilczynski said: "I thank all the agencies for the expertise they brought."
Wilczynski added that the incident occurred when the workers began their shift, and a steel beam connected to the two-level elevator caused the mechanical failure and ceased operations.
Cargill intends to carry out a full safety check of the elevator once it can be removed from the shaft.
The company will also coordinate with the federal Mine Health and Safety Administration (MSHA) regarding safety plans.
In addition, the company plans to conduct an inspection of the elevator and replace it if necessary.
Approximately two million tonnes of road salt processed at the Cayuga Mine is shipped to more than 1,500 locations throughout the north-east US.
The mine has been in operation since 1922.
