Two workers were killed in an accident at a potash mine in the Ural Mountains region of Perm, authorities said Thursday.
Perm region Governor Dmitry Makhonin said the miners suffered fatal injuries during a routine inspection of a shaft in the town of Solikamsk. He did not provide further details.
Uralkali, the world’s largest potash producer and the mine’s operator, confirmed the incident to the Interfax news agency, saying the workers were crushed to death after a deposit of salt rock broke off from support structures.
The company said it had launched an internal investigation and that production at the site was unaffected.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it launched a criminal investigation into potential industrial safety violations.
A gas explosion at the same Uralkali mine shaft in June 2024 injured two workers.
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