A HEALTH and safety investigation is underway after a tunnel flooded at a potash mine.

The flood, which happened in the early hours of Wednesday morning, took place in Boulby mine’s “tailings tunnel” - but the company which runs it, ICL UK, said there were no injuries.

A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Executive Mines Inspectorate said: “HSE has been made aware of an incident and are investigating.”

ICL UK Cleveland Potash, which runs the East Cleveland mine, said in a statement: “In the early hours of this morning, during routine maintenance work, there was an ingress of water into the tailings tunnel which carries water into and effluent out of the mine.

“The situation is currently being monitored and in the meantime underground pumping from the mine is continuing.

“Mining operations are continuing as normal. The Mines Inspectorate has been informed of the incident and we are working closely with them.”

In April, workers were caught up in an underground fire at the facility. A total of 11 workers were injured. And John ‘Richie’ Anderson, 56, from Easington, was killed at the mine in a “gas blow-out” in June.