Coal Miners

If you find the time, pleas say a prayer or at least think hopeful thoughts for the coal miners and their families. Thank you.




Mine rescue delayed further by drilling
‘Odds are long’ in saving 4 still underground, governor says

MONTCOAL, W.Va. - Efforts to save four miners trapped inside a coal mine where 25 others died Monday were dealt a setback on Tuesday when poison gases kept rescuers away and drilling work was taking longer than expected.

Crews are having to bulldoze an access road above the mine so they can begin drilling three shafts, each more than 1,000 feet long, to release methane and carbon monoxide that chased rescuers from the mine after the blast Monday afternoon, Gov. Joe Manchin said at a news briefing Tuesday.

Officials initially hoped the first drill could be in within 12 hours, but Manchin later said it now looked like it would not be complete until Wednesday evening.

"The odds are long against us, it's tough," Manchin said earlier on NBC's TODAY Show.

"All we have left is hope, and we're going to continue to do what we can," added Kevin Stricklin, an administrator for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. "But I'm just trying to be honest with everybody and say that the situation does look dire."

The huge underground explosion Monday afternoon instantly killed 25 coal miners at Massey Energy Co.'s Upper Big Branch mine — the worst U.S. mining disaster since 1984.

"Before you knew it, it was just like your ears stopped up, you couldn't hear and the next thing you know, it's just like you're just right in the middle of a tornado," miner Steve Smith, who heard the explosion but was able to escape, told ABC's "Good Morning America."

Click here for the rest of the story...

CarolinaHound wrote:If you find the time, pleas say a prayer or at least think hopeful thoughts for the coal miners and their families. Thank you.




Mine rescue delayed further by drilling
‘Odds are long’ in saving 4 still underground, governor says

MONTCOAL, W.Va. - Efforts to save four miners trapped inside a coal mine where 25 others died Monday were dealt a setback on Tuesday when poison gases kept rescuers away and drilling work was taking longer than expected.

Crews are having to bulldoze an access road above the mine so they can begin drilling three shafts, each more than 1,000 feet long, to release methane and carbon monoxide that chased rescuers from the mine after the blast Monday afternoon, Gov. Joe Manchin said at a news briefing Tuesday.

Officials initially hoped the first drill could be in within 12 hours, but Manchin later said it now looked like it would not be complete until Wednesday evening.

"The odds are long against us, it's tough," Manchin said earlier on NBC's TODAY Show.

"All we have left is hope, and we're going to continue to do what we can," added Kevin Stricklin, an administrator for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. "But I'm just trying to be honest with everybody and say that the situation does look dire."

The huge underground explosion Monday afternoon instantly killed 25 coal miners at Massey Energy Co.'s Upper Big Branch mine — the worst U.S. mining disaster since 1984.

"Before you knew it, it was just like your ears stopped up, you couldn't hear and the next thing you know, it's just like you're just right in the middle of a tornado," miner Steve Smith, who heard the explosion but was able to escape, told ABC's "Good Morning America."

Click here for the rest of the story...

CONSIDER IT DONE

Will do.