Update
Initial reports were wrong and due to a miscommunication only one miner survived. See the updated story.
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The miners in Tallmansville, West Virginia working for International Coal Group Inc., that were trapped underground after an explosion for almost two days, have been found alive! Earlier in the day one miner, Terry Helms the fire-boss, was found dead in a different location in the mine. It's truly amazing that they survived with the levels of carbon monoxide levels in the mine recorded at 3 times those considered lethal to life.
Fox News
Twelve miners caught in an explosion in a coal mine were found alive Tuesday night, more than 41 hours after the blast, family members said.
Bells at a church where relatives had been gathering rang out as family members ran out screaming in jubilation.
Relatives were yelling "They're alive!"
Watching this story over the past couple days I have to admit that I didn't think they would make it. The masks that they had would only last 6-7 hours.
This is definitely good news. But there seems to have been quite a few underlying problems, with this mine and the industry as a whole that caused this incident.
The real tragedy is that we still rely on an incredibly dirty fossil fuel to power our lives, when nuclear is both safer and renewable if used properly.
You can find all my reasons for preferring nuclear, as well as commentary about the Chinese coal situation (6500 deaths per year) at Earth Sentinel where you will also find peak oil, renewable energy, and climate change news.
Posted by: Earth Sentinel on January 4, 2006 01:21 AM
