In case you haven't heard.

MSN Story

This is all happening about 20 miles south of my house. Monday morning I heard several emergency vehicles pass by. I figured there had been a car accident or maybe a fire. It wasn't until much later in the day that I actually hear about what was going on. Last night on NBC, the live feed was identified as coming from Buckhannon, WV which is currently my zip code. School's been cancelled today as they continue rescue efforts.

As far as I know, I don't know anyone in the mine, but we're all praying for their rescue.

Last edited: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 at 2:22:19 PM

Let's all pray for the miners...

Aready done! I think they'll be ok... ;)

Great I have been following the story.

They found one of the dead bodies. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060104/ap_on_re_us/mine_explosion

Last edited: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 at 4:11:20 AM

Yeeehaw!! The other 12 were found alive! I told you Rabban that they would be ok. Prayers to other and their families. You gotta believe. :)

Wednesday, January 4, 2006; Posted: 4:29 a.m. EST

(CNN) Grief, anger as all but one miner found dead

Initial reports indicated 12 had survived

TALLMANSVILLE, West Virginia (CNN) -- Grief and anger replaced jubilation early Wednesday as mine officials announced that, despite earlier reports, only one of 13 trapped miners had survived a West Virginia mining accident.

Late Tuesday, word spread among family members that 12 miners had been found alive at the Sago Mine. Celebrations erupted as church bells rang out.

Hours later, however, some miners' loved ones -- some angry, others silently dejected -- began leaving the community church that had been their sanctuary since the ordeal began Monday morning.

What they had to say was unbelievable in light of the earlier news of a "miracle" in the mine.

The few who would talk to the gathered media said mining officials had told them only one of the miners had survived.

Mining company officials then confirmed it at a news conference.

Ben Hatfield, the CEO of International Coal Group, which owns the Sago Mine, called it the "worst day of my life."

Hatfield said "miscommunication" between rescue crews and the command center had caused the earlier erroneous reports that 12 miners had survived.

In all, 12 miners died, including a man whose body was found closer to the mine entrance Tuesday evening. The sole survivor, Randall McCloy Jr., was in critical condition and being transported Wednesday to West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown after being stabilized at nearby St. Joseph's Hospital.

"This is certainly not the outcome that we had hoped for and prayed for," said Hatfield. "There was a great deal of confusion between the rescue teams... The information got misinterpreted or miscommunicated."

The information, relayed at a briefing with friends and relatives, dashed their hopes of being reunited shortly with the missing miners. Angry and emotional, some of those who attended the briefing at Sago Baptist Church refused to comment. Many were among those who erupted in cheers amid the ringing of church bells three hours earlier after hearing the miners were alive.

"They're liars, they're all liars," one woman yelled at CNN's Anderson Cooper and Randi Kaye.

"They told us they didn't have good news," said one man who was at the briefing. "Everybody is stunned and sick to our stomachs. We feel like we've been lied to, we've been lied to all along... This is probably the most horrible thing that's ever happened to me in my lifetime."

Miners were alive after accident

Hatfield said it was apparent that the miners, who were found some 13,000 feet underground, remained alive for a period of time following the explosion. They had built a "rough barricade structure," he said, and had donned their self-contained breathing apparatuses. The apparatuses held one hour of oxygen; Hatfield said he had no way of knowing how long the miners were alive.

The rescue team that found the miners was speaking to the command center over mine communication system on an open speaker audible to a number of people, Hatfield said. He noted the company made no formal announcement that the 12 were alive, but said he would not single out any rescuers, as they were trying to save the miners' lives.

"The honest answer is, we were devastated," he said. "It's sorrow beyond belief... Welcome to the worst day of my life."

Hatfield said he knew within 20 minutes that an error had been made and that not all 12 were alive, but said he did not inform jubilant family members.

"We couldn't correct the information without knowing more about it," he told reporters. "Let's put this in perspective -- who do we tell not to celebrate? All I knew is, there weren't 12 people that were alive. It was somewhere between 12 and zero."

Hatfield said he understood family members' anger.

"I'm not surprised or upset with them. They certainly have some basis for their frustration, having been put through this emotional roller-coaster. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
'Some wrong communications'

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin -- who flashed a thumbs-up on the steps of the church and said, "believe in miracles," after hearing the initial report that the 12 were alive -- called the situation "heart-wrenching."

He said he was in another room of the church with some family members when "we heard families in a euphoric state, and all the shouting and screaming and joyfulness." He asked what was happening, he said, and was told, "They found them. They're alive."

Manchin said he asked his communications people if they had confirmed that information, and they said no. But he was caught in the sea of jubilant relatives streaming out of the church, and the church bells began ringing, he said. "(I was) in a euphoric state, the same as they are."

It was about 20 minutes later, he said, when he also became aware of "some wrong communications." The delay in informing relatives, he said, came because officials were trying to get accurate information instead of adding to the confusion. He said he understood the family's pain, as his own uncle died in a 1968 mine accident.

"To put blame on anybody -- it's the wrong time, the wrong place," Manchin said. "Everybody has worked so hard. The rescue teams have worked around the clock. They've come from all over the country."

McCloy, 27, was "critically ill," according to Dr. Susan Long, who treated him upon arrival at St. Joseph's. Test results did not show the presence of carbon monoxide in his blood, she said, and he had no visible injuries.

Long told CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta she believed the miner was in shock, dehydrated and hypothermic. Hospital staffers warmed him up and gave him liquids, and his vital signs improved quickly, she said.

The U.S. Department of Labor, in a statement, confirmed that 12 miners had died and one survived, noting, "This is the first federal confirmation of those numbers. At no time were we contacted to confirm numbers, and as to earlier reports, we have no knowledge as to how those numbers were reported."

I heard several emergency vehicles pass the house last night at various times, so I figured something was up. I just can't imagine being told everyone had survived only to learn later that that information was incorrect. Some truely tough times. Though I don't know any of the victims, a co-worker had recently made friends with a family of one of the deceased.

What a nightmare. I was up late watching the Orange Bowl and before bed I flicked on CNN. I thought, great everyone except one is okay. I figured that was pretty darn good considering the circumstances.

What in the hell happened? Good grief.

Unbelievable situation. I can't even begin to imagine the grief of the people who thought they were going to get their loved ones back, only to find that wasn't true.

It's one thing to think you may have lost someone, but to then hear they were going to be OK, and then to find their hope wasn't true has to be one of the most terrible things to have to endure.

My prayers go out to the families, the people who knew the miners, and the whole community. What a terrible set of events.

Let's not forget about the one guy who survived. He's going to be in anguish for quite some time and not just physically.

Good point. Imagine his trying to deal with being the sole survivor, and the questions he'll have. (Why am I the only one? What could I have done to make it so more of us survived?) I know I would struggle with that for many years. Often survivors feel great guilt about that kind of thing.

Then I wonder about the number of times he'll be asked about what happened. This is going to be very difficult for him. I hope he has a strong group of people he can lean on.

Well the only survivor was the youngest one there, being 27. All the others were in their 50s, so age probably had an effect on it.

And the reason that the wrong info came out is because some people overheard cellphone conversations wrong. They had found the 12 bodies and were checking their vitals and apparently someone thought that meant they were alive.

Hmm, when I saw this on TV after it had happened I didn't pay much attention to it, figuring it to be another Quecreek (a place that I in fact have been too and live near). I definately figured after that infamous incident that mine saftey would have vastly improved, without even getting the details of the incident. But I was wrong, and something went on down there that didn't work out quite right. It seemed reasonable enough to figure that since they were able to rescue every man from Quecreek that saftey improvements would have with out a doubt prevented any deaths (look at 911, a huge wakeup call, and now airport security is the best we've ever seen!). Sadly, only one person has survived the incident, so something wrong has gone on. People are saying that it was the owners of the mine that didn't keep to saftey regulations and whatnot, but I'm beginning to think that maybe no matter what anybody has told us mine saftey is horrible (even in this day and age) and Quecreek was purely a miracle. :'(

I wonder how they broke the news to the families that thought their loved ones were alive.

Guy-Well we have good news. Your husband is alive.

Family-Really? Hes alive? This is the happiest moment of my life!

Guy- psyche!

Shadow:
On a side note, airport safety isn't really that great still. They did some tests and everything got failing grades. >.>

On more for the topic, they said the cause of the blast was a lightning strike. From the blast, carbon monoxide in dangerous levels was created. Not much they could change there.

Now for the highs and lows.

High point: Gov. Joe Manchin. He's been on the scene and sincere. Helping families, being a leader and representing WV with class. The democrat I'd put in the White House.

Low point: The Media. Nothing on television has been all that bad, but what they've done behind the scenes to get their story is nasty. After the sole survivor was transported to the hospital, media members tried to run a blockade that closed the hospital access road, pushing police officers in the process.

Last edited: Thursday, January 05, 2006 at 2:00:31 PM

I believe we all feel grief for those miners, but they were truly great men, for they were the men who coaled for our electricity, knowing the risks they would take. I believe they died of carbon monoxide, due to loss of oxygen, which you all know. The miscommunication is rather unknown I believe. The authorities knew of this mistake in communication 20 minutes after it happened, but did not tell people of the deaths until three hours later, due to their unsureness if the miners did die, so they had to check on it themselves. Also something that was odd, was that someone called all the families by cellphone that their husbands/sons/relatives were indeed alive, even though they were not. It is unknown who told them I believe as well. We all mourn for those people who died and their family and friends.

-AO

Why is the cause of the deaths "undisclosed"?
Could it be that this mine was not meeting saftey regulations? Or something along that lines?
Thats what it tells me... I think that they wont tell us the cause of death because the finger can be pointed at someone...
Just like millitary cover ups...
Media "A helicopter crashed today... What about that?"
Millitary: "What Helicopter?"
Anyway, just my two cents...

Lol now everyone will think I am paranoid :)

In case you haven't heard, 189 people were killed in Iraq on Wednesday and Thursday from suicide attacks and roadside bombs. Eleven (11) U.S. Soldiers died yesterday.

Last edited: Friday, January 06, 2006 at 11:55:52 AM

More perspective...

Breaking News: U.S. Helicopter crash kills 12 in Iraq
Five U.S. Marines also slain over weekend, military says

And just to toss this in..

44 has hijacked a coal mining incident thread with more info about deaths in Iraq, a completely irrelevant topic.

I assumed most were smart enough to understand the relevance. Sorry I underestimated you.

*flash of smoke*

*poof*

"Did someone mention out-of-control biased media?"

@22x2

You are correct in that the world keeps on turning. You also have made a great point in that the media tends to focus on the sensational stories while ignoring the relevant ones...and when they do cover anything relevant, it ain't always unbiased.

As for the miners....their loss is indeed tragic. Too bad people don't realize just how much of a debt the American people really owe them, as well as the industry itself. The only time they get recognition is when one or more are sensationally killed.

Hate to say I agree, because I enjoy arguing with you, but....agree.

"I'm a uniter not a divider."

Happy New Year.

Chief 2.0

You're a unificator.

LOL

Maybe.....

What a tragedy, in a land of with a legacy of tragedies.
I spent some time in the Coalfields of West Virginia in the 70's.
Stayed with some miners familes during a UMW strike in 1978.
Had family living there during that period.

Its a largely unknown chapter of American history.
The miners attempts to organize unions and press for safety and wage issues throughout the century were met by viscious opposition by the Coal company's.
The coal companies generally ran the town, owned everything. While coal mining was about the only place to get work in the area it also slipped workers into near sharecropping type indebtedness to the companies. The classic phrase - I owe my soul to the company store
was indeed a reality.
Actual wars occured in "those West Virginia Hills". Thousands of armed miners in battle against thousands of coal company "security" and federal troops brought in on their behalf.
Much of the safety and wage advancments that exist now are as a result of those early battles.
The John Sayles movie "Matewan" takes a look at that time period.
The hard to find independent documentary "Harlan County USA" is also a a grim look at a miners strike in the early 1970's.

My point in that last post was that this thread is about the miners. If you wanted to discuss the deaths in Iraq, then find a thread for it.

-Zeo, a person from a coal mining town in Virginia

Last edited: Sunday, January 08, 2006 at 10:34:59 PM

And to add to Baba's points, most of the coal companies are owned by out of state interests. So the wealth of the state is going to those who don't even live here while exploiting our resources and people. It can be quite frustrating, especially when you see some of the poverty some people still experience in our state. Too bad we don't have an Alaskan-type deal where every West Virginian gets a royalty from every ton of coal taken from the state.

In the meantime, the funerals are starting. I live right across from a funeral home and over the weekend there were two huge funerals for a couple of miners. My pastor's wife told me they had stood in line for 2 hours for the viewing. Cars were parked everywhere and people were walking to get to the parking lot and take their place in a line that seemed to go on forever. There are more funerals scheduled for today and tomorrow.

Last edited: Monday, January 09, 2006 at 2:02:27 PM

My heart goes out to the families, but also to everyone in the area. Those miner's lives touched the lives of everyone around them. May God give them His comfort in this dark time.

I heard your town's name on the radio as I drove home from church yesterday, Rabban, I wish it had been for something else, though.

I think that the other miners gave the survivor their air pack things seeing as how he was youngest and had a wife and 2 kids.