Underwater salt mine closure in Ohio raises safety and supply concerns for winter

Questions remain about reason for leak, safety of drinking water and where salt can be sourced for roads during winter

When water last month began gushing through a crack in the ceiling of a Morton Salt mine in Ohio, the company had only one option: shut the mine down for good.

For locals in and around Fairport Harbor, it means the loss of 77 jobs; but for the wider region, which depends on its salt reserves to keep roads ice- and snow-free every winter, it could mean travel chaos.