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...
initial location miners missing monday multiple remaining reports rough since turned
At that location they encountered a rough barricade structure. With 12 remaining miners that had been missing since the Monday explosion. Initial reports indicated multiple survivors, but that turned out to be a miscommunication.
accident cause circumstance federal mine state terrible thorough undertaken
A thorough investigation of the cause and circumstances of this terrible accident will be undertaken by federal and state mine regulatory officials.
area breathing miners safe secure tried
These miners tried desperately to secure an area of safe breathing environment.
believe felt heard heavy miners percussion skilled system
They felt the percussion and heard the noise. We believe they probably encountered heavy smoke, and the ventilation system was obstructed. They then did what skilled miners do.
company interest involved mine operated time year
We have no interest in getting into finger-pointing of what went on a year ago. This is a mine that operated for some significant time before my company was involved with it.
confirmed determined hospital local medical miners remaining rescue rushed serious structure survivor team
The only confirmed survivor is Randall McCloy, who has now been rushed to a local hospital in serious condition. The 11 remaining miners in the barricade structure were determined by the medical technicians on the rescue team to have already deceased.
believe defending focus mine people
Our focus is not on defending records, our focus is on getting people out of there and that's all we want to focus on at this point. We believe the mine was safe.
celebrate coal darkest despair despite effort fellow grief heroes hour lives loss mine miracle prayed rescue risk save teams true
The true heroes of this effort are the mine rescue teams who risk their own lives to save those of their fellow coal miners. At the darkest hour of this rescue effort, we prayed for 13 miracles. Despite our grief and despair at the loss of our 12 co-workers, we want to celebrate the one miracle that was delivered.
damage equipment evidence explosion survivors
No barricades or survivors were seen, but there was also no evidence of substantial explosion damage to the installed equipment that was in view.
clinging command people
The families, much like the people working in the command center, are clinging to every hope.
possible survivors
No survivors were spotted. It's possible they are barricaded in another area.
location
They could be in another location or they could be barricaded somewhere.
results
We are very discouraged by the results of this test.
continue forward hard push
We all continue to push forward as hard as we can so long as there is hope.