A FULL investigation to determine the cause of a fire at a North-East mine is to take place later this month, bosses confirm.
Earlier today, the emergency services were called to reports of a fire at the ICL Boulby mine near Loftus in East Cleveland.
The 200-hectare site, which is operated by Cleveland Potash Ltd, began polyhalite mining in early 2016 after the firm said traditional potash fertiliser stock was close to "exhaustion."
A spokesperson for Cleveland Fire Brigade said: "We were called to reports of a fire just before 10.30am this morning.
"We sent three appliances to the site and we came away at 1.50pm - there was a fire in a conveyor belt about 50ft above ground."
On Thursday, a spokesperson for ICL Boulby confirming an investigation would now take place said: "A fire which broke out earlier today on the surface at the ICL Boulby mine in East Cleveland has now been extinguished.
"It began at about 10.30 in a conveyor at the mine’s polyhalite plant and was brought under control by the fire service.
"No personnel were injured in the incident but surface operations were suspended for a period."
As a result of Thursday's fire, the company said it would now be working with the Health and Safety Executive and the fire service to carry out a full investigation into the cause of the fire.
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