The Rummu quarry is a submerged limestone quarry located in Rummu, Vasalemma Parish, Estonia, Europe. Much of the natural area of the quarry is under a lake formed by groundwater, and is situated next to a spoil tip. The quarry is close to two former prisons, the nearest being the former Rummu prison.
In the late 1930s, the quarry began to be excavated for open mining of limestone and Vasalemma marble. The latter is a specific kind of limestone with its structure and texture resembling that of marble. During the Soviet era, until the 1990s, excavation was performed as hard labour by Murru and Rummu prisoners, who would excavate and process limestone from the water-drained quarry. When pumping of water ceased, the quarry quickly filled with groundwater, forming a lake, immersing some of the utility buildings and machinery. Next to the lake is the Vasalemma spoil tip (slag heap). Over time, the spoil tip assumed a unique appearance through erosion by water.
The territory is private property, and belongs to KB Auto Eesti OÜ, the CEO of which is Gunnar Bergvald, a former prison official. The place is practically impossible to access by car, since vehicles are prohibited from stopping near the gate of the road to the quarry. Parking around the Keila–Haapsalu road was problematic during Summer periods, as roadsides were filled with parked cars, making purposeful traffic around them difficult.
Jump-diving into the lake off derelict buildings is very dangerous, and professional divers have made public recommendations against this practice, because the lake bed contains pieces of thick concrete, tree branches, rebar spikes, metal construction (including machinery), and plenty of barbed wire.
In early 2016, the area began to be closed off, because of issues with cars, and because swimming and diving into the lake is dangerous, and the owner has posted relevant warning signs.
On 7 August 2014, a 17-year-old girl injured her back when jumping into the water off a derelict building.
Then in July 2016, late in the day, a 35-year-old man was found drowned in the quarry.
No comments:
Post a Comment