Thuringia: Probable cause of accident found in burrow

Bad Sulza (dpa/th) - The sudden hole in the ground in Bad Sulza (Weimarer Land district), in which a man died at the beginning of July, is most likely a late consequence of salt production in the spa town going back centuries.

Thuringia: Probable cause of accident found in burrow

Bad Sulza (dpa/th) - The sudden hole in the ground in Bad Sulza (Weimarer Land district), in which a man died at the beginning of July, is most likely a late consequence of salt production in the spa town going back centuries. "We are currently assuming that this is the cause," said a spokesman for the State Office for the Environment, Mining and Nature Conservation on Thursday, confirming media reports. The evaluation of historical maps showed that underground cavities were created in connection with the salt production.

At the beginning of July, a 62-year-old man fell into a hole in the ground in his garden while mowing the lawn and was fatally injured. According to estimates by the fire department and later measurements, the hole was about six meters deep and had a diameter of one and a half meters. It has since been filled in.

The investigations concentrated on the maps, some of which date from the 17th century. The cavities are no longer accessible today, the spokesman said. An engineering office was commissioned to carry out further investigations. In the search for the cause, pictures were taken in the hole with a mini drone and a camera.

Bad Sulza is known for its brine springs, which are still used today for the spa. Two springs supply the spa clinics, the thermal baths, a brine drinking hall in the spa park and the graduation house. The accident had happened in his vicinity. The origins of salt production in the city date back to the 11th century.