Officials Rescue 17 Workers Trapped In Elevator At Upstate NY Salt Mine

LANSING, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Seventeen miners stuck 900 feet underground at the deepest salt mine in the Western Hemisphere were rescued Thursday morning, ending an ordeal that officials said began about 10 hours earlier when an elevator got stuck on its way to the mine's floor.

Mark Klein, a spokesman for Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Cargill Inc., said the last two miners were hoisted to the surface at the company's Cayuga Salt Mine in Lansing around 8:30 a.m.

Klein said the elevator -- large enough to accommodate a forklift -- got stuck around 10 p.m. Wednesday while descending to the floor of the 2,300-foot-deep mine. Emergency workers were able to communicate via radio with the miners, who had blankets, heat packs and other supplies lowered to them.

The mine's manager said the workers were cold, but their spirits were high.

"I'm moved and inspired by how well they dealt with this, how they worked together," manager Shawn Wilczynski said.

Klein said the miners were never in danger.

THe miners were brought to the surface groups at a time.

"The first four that came out of the mine waited until the last two came out," Wilczynski said.

A crane hoisted the first four to the surface in a basket around 7 a.m. Another four were rescued about 30 minutes later, and seven more were brought to the surface by 8:30 a.m., Klein said. The last two were rescued a few minutes afterward.

"It is a difficult task," Wilczynski said. "There's not a lot of cranes out there that are just readily sitting, able and willing to do that type of a depth."

The rescued workers ranged in age from 20 to 60, and their mining experience ranged from a few months to four decades, Wilczynski said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the miners are in good health and released a statement praising the efforts of the first responders.

"I want to thank the dedicated first responders who worked tirelessly through the night to ensure the safe return of these miners," Cuomo said. "This is the perfect example of New Yorkers coming together in times of need, and I am grateful for the efforts of all those involved in this operation."

The mine, which Klein said is the deepest salt mine in the Western Hemisphere, produces road salt that is shipped throughout the northeastern United States. The mine is located on the shore of Cayuga Lake and extends beneath its waters.

Mining at the Lansing site began 100 years ago. Cargill bought the mine in 1970 and today employs 200 workers at the operation, Klein said.

The company conducts evacuation drills annually, Klein said.

"While we hope to never make use of that practice, it's helping us today,'' he said.

Mining operations will be shut down for the rest of the week as company officials and federal government mine safety inspectors investigate what caused the elevator, one of several at the site, to malfunction, Klein said.

"We want to take a step back, check things out,'' he said.

Cuomo said the Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Protection, and the Department of Labor's Division of Safety and Health will also conduct a full investigation.

"The health and safety of New York's workforce is paramount and every step will be taken to ensure this incident is not repeated in the future, and anyone potentially at fault is held accountable," Cuomo said in a statement.

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