Ben Hatfield
Ben Hatfield
The Sago Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion on January 2, 2006, at the Sago Mine in Sago, West Virginia, United States, near the Upshur County seat of Buckhannon. The blast and collapse trapped 13 miners for nearly two days; only one survived. It was the worst mining disaster in the United States since the Jim Walter Resources Mine Disaster in Alabama on September 23, 2001, and the worst disaster in West Virginia since the 1968 Farmington Mine Disaster...
believe benefit productive saying
We didn't believe there was any productive benefit of saying there could be one (victim), there could be 12. We have conflicting information.
army conduct fixed hard people safe
We have an army of people working as hard as they can to get the ventilation fixed so it is safe to go in and conduct the investigation.
believe examined high increase number standards violations virtually
We believe the high number of violations is attributable to a significant increase in enforcement standards by the MSHA inspectors that examined the mine virtually every day.
accident coal learn lessons protect
We must learn the lessons from this accident that will better protect coal miners.
continue determined hope information received remain search thus
While we're very disappointed by the information we have received thus far, we remain determined to continue the search so long as there is hope, and hope remains.
develop effort future help identify intend leader prevent safety
We intend to be a leader in the effort to identify and develop safety technologies that will help to prevent future tragedies.
finger history interest violation
We're not going to get into the violation history or finger pointing. That's in no one's interest at this point.
drill received steel
We pounded on the drill steel and received no response. We'll do same.
area breathing miners safe secure tried
These miners tried desperately to secure an area of safe breathing environment.
certainly hopes stretched thin
Hopes certainly are stretched thin at this point.
clinging command people
The families, much like the people working in the command center, are clinging to every hope.
rules
In the jubilation of the moment, the rules didn't hold.
best care certainly draw employees level meeting paid weekend
In the interim, certainly this week, they are being paid and we're meeting with the employees over the weekend to draw up longer-term plans. We're going to do our very level best to take care of our people.
certainly confident employees explosion final highly joint knowledge pleased reach similar unusual word work
While our independent investigation is certainly not the final word on the explosion, we are confident that the joint federal-state investigation will reach a similar conclusion. We are pleased that we can get our Sago employees back to work with the knowledge that the explosion was an unpredictable and highly unusual accident.