12 Trapped Miners in West Virginia discussion - Page 2

nychief · 10:01 AM

Grief, anger as all but one miner found dead
Initial reports indicated 12 had survived

Wednesday, January 4, 2006; Posted: 10:25 a.m. EST (15:25 GMT)
TALLMANSVILLE, West Virginia (CNN) -- For three hours overnight, families of a dozen trapped West Virginia miners thought their loved ones were coming home as church bells rang to welcome them.

But by 3 a.m. Wednesday -- as one critically ill survivor was rushed to a hospital -- families learned that their thankful jubilation was premature.

There had been a tragic "miscommunication," said mine company chief Ben Hatfield. Twelve of the 13 trapped miners had not made it. They were dead. (Watch angry relatives react -- 3:21)

Anna Casto, who lost her cousin, angrily disagreed with Hatfield's use of the term "miscommunication."

"No, he strictly told us they was alive," Casto said. "Three hours later he come back and said they wasn't."

"We want to know why, and how people can get by with this," she said.

"I just want that immediate family to get some kind of satisfaction, to get some kind of answers." (Full story)

Casto said the tragedy has shaken the faith of some in the community. "We have got some of us ... saying... that we don't even know if there is a Lord anymore," she said. "We had a miracle, and it was taken away from us."
3-hour delay

# 11:53 p.m. -- Church bells ring as reports first indicate that 12 miners have been found alive.

# 2:14 a.m. -- A man is rescued and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition after being trapped underground for nearly 40 hours.

# 2:44 a.m. -- Miners' relatives say they had been told all but one of the miners were dead.

# 3:11 a.m. -- Hatfield, president and CEO of International Coal Group, which owns the Sago Mine, announces that despite previous reports, only one survivor was found in the mine. (Timeline)

Hatfield called it the "worst day of my life."
Critical condition

The sole survivor, Randal McCloy, 27, was in critical condition in intensive care Wednesday at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown.

"He suffered some collapse of one of his lungs," said Dr. Larry Roberts. "And we're trying to reopen that and there's good progress there."

Roberts said McCloy was sedated and attached to a breathing tube, but was moving and responding to stimuli.

"We hope that we will try to awaken him later today or tomorrow," the doctor said.
'Who do we tell?'

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."

Hatfield said the miscommunication occurred between rescue crews and the command center, causing the earlier erroneous reports. (Watch the CEO's grim announcement -- 9:00)
Miners were alive after accident

Hatfield said it was apparent that the miners, who were found 13,000 feet into the mine, 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."
'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." (Watch Gov. Manchin explain what may have caused the miscommunication -- 3:44)

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. He said he 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."

nychief · 01-03-2006, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gochiefs

Did any of them start eating each other?

Is food all you think about ****face?

Kylo Ren · 01-03-2006, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nychief

cnn is live at the scene...

CNN?.........I won't believe it until I see it on Fox News.

**dirk digler** · 01-03-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Nick Athan reports that one of the miners has been flown to KC to meet with Carl Peterson.

He got it first...

Hammock Parties · 01-03-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nychief

Is food all you think about ****face?

No, I also think about slitting your ass head to toe, jaw to jaw.

nychief · 01-03-2006, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gochiefs

No, I also think about slitting your ass head to toe, jaw to jaw.

relax francis, I am just playing. chill with the columbine stuff alright?

VonneMarie · 01-03-2006, 11:43 PM

nychief · 01-03-2006, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ENDelt260

And then eating him?

Hammock Parties · 01-03-2006, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ENDelt260

And then eating him?

Sure. Why let all that good meat go to waste?

Kylo Ren · 01-03-2006, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunther_Fan

CNN?.........I won't believe it until I see it on Fox News.

http://www.foxnews.com/

It's true.

PunkinDrublic · 01-04-2006, 12:41 AM

I heard Rich Scanlon dug a seperate tunnel to where the miners were and one by one pulled them each to safety.

ferrarispider95 · 01-04-2006, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PunkinDrublic

I heard Rich Scanlon dug a seperate tunnel to where the miners were and one by one pulled them each to safety.

did he eat them?

Halfcan · 01-04-2006, 01:25 AM

Now if they can only find Archie's missing cat.

Ultra Peanut · 01-04-2006, 01:51 AM

Now someone's saying there's only one survivor, and that the scene is apparently a madhouse among the main crowd of people.

tk13 · 01-04-2006, 01:52 AM

CNN is reporting there's only 1 actual survivor... I can't believe this....

**grandllama** · 01-04-2006, 01:53 AM

they should have put out anti freeze

01-03-2006, 10:59 PM
nychief MVP Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NYC Casino cash: $6869466	Death Toll Reaches 12 in West Virginia Mining Disaster Grief, anger as all but one miner found dead Initial reports indicated 12 had survived Wednesday, January 4, 2006; Posted: 10:25 a.m. EST (15:25 GMT) TALLMANSVILLE, West Virginia (CNN) -- For three hours overnight, families of a dozen trapped West Virginia miners thought their loved ones were coming home as church bells rang to welcome them. But by 3 a.m. Wednesday -- as one critically ill survivor was rushed to a hospital -- families learned that their thankful jubilation was premature. There had been a tragic "miscommunication," said mine company chief Ben Hatfield. Twelve of the 13 trapped miners had not made it. They were dead. (Watch angry relatives react -- 3:21) Anna Casto, who lost her cousin, angrily disagreed with Hatfield's use of the term "miscommunication." "No, he strictly told us they was alive," Casto said. "Three hours later he come back and said they wasn't." "We want to know why, and how people can get by with this," she said. "I just want that immediate family to get some kind of satisfaction, to get some kind of answers." (Full story) Casto said the tragedy has shaken the faith of some in the community. "We have got some of us ... saying... that we don't even know if there is a Lord anymore," she said. "We had a miracle, and it was taken away from us." 3-hour delay # 11:53 p.m. -- Church bells ring as reports first indicate that 12 miners have been found alive. # 2:14 a.m. -- A man is rescued and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition after being trapped underground for nearly 40 hours. # 2:44 a.m. -- Miners' relatives say they had been told all but one of the miners were dead. # 3:11 a.m. -- Hatfield, president and CEO of International Coal Group, which owns the Sago Mine, announces that despite previous reports, only one survivor was found in the mine. (Timeline) Hatfield called it the "worst day of my life." Critical condition The sole survivor, Randal McCloy, 27, was in critical condition in intensive care Wednesday at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. "He suffered some collapse of one of his lungs," said Dr. Larry Roberts. "And we're trying to reopen that and there's good progress there." Roberts said McCloy was sedated and attached to a breathing tube, but was moving and responding to stimuli. "We hope that we will try to awaken him later today or tomorrow," the doctor said. 'Who do we tell?' 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." Hatfield said the miscommunication occurred between rescue crews and the command center, causing the earlier erroneous reports. (Watch the CEO's grim announcement -- 9:00) Miners were alive after accident Hatfield said it was apparent that the miners, who were found 13,000 feet into the mine, 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." '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." (Watch Gov. Manchin explain what may have caused the miscommunication -- 3:44) 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. He said he 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." Last edited by nychief; 01-04-2006 at 10:01 AM..
Posts: 7,895

01-03-2006, 11:43 PM	#21
VonneMarie Don't look over here Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO Casino cash: $10008987
Posts: 17,644

01-04-2006, 12:41 AM	#25
PunkinDrublic Stay down bitch! Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Plano, TX Casino cash: $6220670	I heard Rich Scanlon dug a seperate tunnel to where the miners were and one by one pulled them each to safety. __________________ Disappointing my parents since 1976
Posts: 9,204

01-04-2006, 01:25 AM	#27
Halfcan In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $7327995	Now if they can only find Archie's missing cat.
Posts: 43,200

01-04-2006, 01:51 AM	#28
Ultra Peanut v^V^v^V^v^V^ Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Holland* Casino cash: $10005177	Now someone's saying there's only one survivor, and that the scene is apparently a madhouse among the main crowd of people. __________________
Posts: 39,518

01-04-2006, 01:52 AM	#29
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1562500	CNN is reporting there's only 1 actual survivor... I can't believe this....
Posts: 55,034

01-04-2006, 01:53 AM	#30
grandllama Hi, I'm Llama Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Colts Hell Casino cash: $10004900	they should have put out anti freeze __________________ How to I put something here?
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