Serious Incident at Târgu Ocna Salt Mine: Large Salt Rocks Fell on Tourist Route, Management Dismissed

A serious incident occurred at the Târgu Ocna Salt Mine, where massive salt boulders, weighing tens of kilograms, broke loose from the ceiling and fell onto a path frequented by tourists. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the incident has raised significant safety concerns regarding the site.

Although authorities should have immediately closed the salt mine after this accident, tourist access continued for four days. During this time, only the area affected by the ceiling collapse was isolated and marked. Many visitors continued to move through other parts of the mine without being properly informed of the imminent danger.

Following the incident, the National Salt Company decided to permanently close the Târgu Ocna Salt Mine and initiated an internal investigation to determine the causes and responsibilities. The salt mine’s management was not allowed to remain in their positions, and both the director and deputy director of the salt mine were dismissed from their roles. Authorities have promised additional measures to ensure visitor safety in the future.

The investigation will examine both the maintenance conditions of the mine’s infrastructure and the emergency procedures applied in the event of an accident. In the meantime, visitors who were in the mine at the time of the incident were advised to file complaints, and authorities have committed to closer monitoring of all salt mines in the country.