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 determined fewer forward hard industry less men move pace people quicker talented
We determined we could move forward at a quicker pace by rehabilitating fewer entries and doing less construction on the way in. I believe we have the smartest, most talented people in the industry working as hard as they can to get the men out safely.
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.
allowed good information longer process trying
We were trying to get them good information and in the process of being cautious, we allowed the jubilation to go on longer than it should have.
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.
We had no idea what they were being told.
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.
allowed good longer needed process trying
We needed good information, and we were trying to get them that information. In the process of being cautious, we allowed the jubilation to go on longer than it should have.
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.
accident coal learn lessons protect
We must learn the lessons from this accident that will better protect coal miners.
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.
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.
allowed longer
We allowed the jubilation to go on longer than it should have.