2 miners missing after roof collapse at Avery Island salt mine

AVERY ISLAND, LA – AUGUST 21: An aerial view of Avery Island, home of the Tabasco hot sauce factory, on August 21, 2019 in Avery Island, Louisiana. Avery Island, a dome of salt surrounded by marshes near the southern Louisiana coast, is where the iconic Tabasco sauce has been made for the past 150 years. Like much of southern Louisiana, coastal marshland around Avery Island is disappearing at a rapid pace and the island is losing about 30 feet of surrounding protective marshland per year. As land gradually retreats from the area, the island becomes more susceptible to flooding from severe storms. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

by: WGNO Web Desk

Posted: Dec 14, 2020 / 11:42 AM AST

Updated: Dec 14, 2020 / 11:42 AM AST

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AVERY ISLAND, La – Rescue crews are still looking for two miners after the roof of a salt mine on Avery Island collapsed early this morning.

The salt mine is operated by Cargill Protein and Animal Health. Daniel Sullivan, media relations director for Cargill, released the following statement:

Early this morning, Cargill’s Avery Island salt mine experienced a roof collapse. We have two employees who remain unaccounted for at this time and we are working with local first responders and the Mine Safety and Health Administration who are onsite to respond to this emergency. All 16 other employees working that shift have been evacuated with no injuries reported. The facility has been shut down to allow a complete investigation of the incident and ensure the safe operations of our facility.
Daniel Sullivan

No further information has been made available at this time. Stay tuned to WGNO for further updates on this developing story.