Source: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/04/mine.explosion.wed/index.html

Initial reports indicated 12 had survived

Wednesday, January 4, 2006; Posted: 9:14 a.m. EST (14:14 GMT)

Relatives of the miners walk away after being told that, despite earlier reports, only one miner is alive.


MISSING MINERS
Family members say the following were among the 13 men trapped:
Alva Martin Bennet, 50, of Buckhannon

Jim Bennett, 61, of Philippi

George Hamner Jr. of Gladyfork

Terry Helms, 50, of Newburg

David Lewis, 28, of Philippi

Randal McCloy, 27, of Simpson

Fred Ware Jr., 59, of Tallmansville

Jack Weaver, 52, of Philippi

Marshall Winans, 49, of Talbert

Source: Associated Press • A look at the miners

DEADLY MINE ACCIDENTS
2001: Explosions at a Jim Walter Resources Inc. mine in Brookwood, Alabama, kill 13 people.

1992: A blast at a Southmountain Coal Co. mine in Norton, Virginia, kills eight.

1989: An explosion at a Pyro Mining Co. mine in Wheatcroft, Kentucky, kills 10.

1986: A coal pile collapses at Consolidation Coal Co.'s mine in Fairview, West Virginia, killing five.

1984: A fire at Emery Mining Corp.'s mine in Orangeville, Utah, kills 27.

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."

i was reading about that at lunch time, i didnt even know that anything had happened in america until i opened up the BBC news site
it is so sad, my heart goes out to all the familys and everyone that was involved

My heart and prayers go out to these families. It`s so terribly sad. My grandfather on my mother`s side was a life-long coalminer.
The families are hurt and angry because they were given misinformation, I don`t blame them. I would be too.

I heard on FOX News this morning that the Coal Company had 208 violations last year! UNBELIEVABLE!!!! And some of them were Class D violations. What I`d like to know is why was the mine still operating?!

those poor people.

I can not believe that they could do this to those poor people. mine as well have raked them thru searing coals , it woulda hurt them less.

This is one of the most tragic things to happen in America since the Hurricane Katrina disaster. I feel so bad for those families and when I see how happy they were when they thought that everyone had survived it just makes me sick to my stomach. I have no idea what it would be like to be in their shoes but I know that they must be feeling grief beyond belief. I will be keeping them in my prayers...

*~i saw that on the news its so sad,my toughts and prayers are with the family~*

It's so sad

It is sad.

i'll be keeping the families in my prayers and thoughts

that so sad. I hate hearing about stuff like that. My prayers are with the families

quote:

Originally posted by Unique Dog:
My heart and prayers go out to these families. It`s so terribly sad. My grandfather on my mother`s side was a life-long coalminer.
The families are hurt and angry because they were given misinformation, I don`t blame them. I would be too.

I heard on FOX News this morning that the Coal Company had 208 violations last year! UNBELIEVABLE!!!! And some of them were Class D violations. What I`d like to know is why was the mine still operating?!

The families are probably asking themselves the same thing. Now with all of the media attention on the industry the entire community will have to look @ how they run their mines as they know the "inspectors" will be on their way....The man who owns this mine is in deep s h i t & rightly so. apparently he just purchased it thie past NOV.

He is a coward for making those people wait for 3 hours for the correct infomration. If it was a "mistake" then stand up and say so - s h i t hapens and although they would have been grief & hurt it would not have been as bad as it was for making them wait.

There are many who are prepared to sue. Someone made a comment about "sure now they are all after the money" - I say GO FOR IT - if the mine was wrong then they should pay for it - their lost loved ones won't be brining a pay chq home anymore to support the family they left behind - so if the mine was negligent in ANY WAY - they should pay for it!

I feel so sorry for the people ~ yet another shining example of $$$$$ VS Compassion and proper dealings ~ there is no more of "Let's do things the right way" - it has been replaced with "Lets do things a CHEAPLY as possible to increase our bottom line$$$"... It makes me ILL

Making the families believe for 3 hours that their loved ones were alive and coming out of the mine is inexcusable in my opinion. If they were not 100% certain that they had correct information then they should have sent someone to talk to the families. Instead, they heard the church bell ringing and they heard the cheers and chose to let the families live a lie for 3 hours. This is total disregard for their feelings, emotions and well being.