JULY 7 (Reuters) — Several people were injured on Monday (July 6) in the partial collapse of an ice cave in Washington State that U.S. Forest Service officials had warned was too dangerous for exploration due to unseasonably warm weather in the Pacific Northwest.
A spokeswoman from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said rescue workers were still trying to confirm how many people were in the Big Four Ice Caves near Granite Falls, 40 miles north of Seattle, when a cave gave way.
The Everett Herald reported nine people were injured, citing a figure from the U.S. Forest Service. The injured were all transported to local hospitals, the newspaper said.
The caves are home to a popular hiking trail and are part of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
In May, the U.S. Forest Service warned hikers against entering the Big Four Ice Caves after several sections collapsed in unusually warm spring temperatures.