Miners Trapped In WV Coal Mine

[Buzz Mills]

something else to make one wonder...what's this all about ?

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/2006010529

That's a good article housemaid25--Thanks.

There's going to be a lot of wiggling going on--it apears that there are a lot of parties on the hook, including the inspectors. Be good for everyone if a major exposee was done on the coal mining industry in WV. People that live there and work in the mines know how bad it is, but they always kept choosing the money, as that is what provided for their families. If they complained, they wouldn't have their jobs very long. It's a Catch-22 situation. The coal mining industry needed for this to happen--but I think it will be wishful thinking on our part, if we think this accident is going to clean up the coal mining industry. There will be a lot of posturing, but in the end, it will be business as usual. Someone will get hung in effigy, but all the other operators will just keep going. It's the current high price of coal, plus the GWB waiving of greenhouse gas emission standards, and the relatively high wages paid, in an area where the economy has always been the pits--these are all a recipe for disaster.

 

[housemaid25]

Let me start out by saying I am in West virginia and that my husband works for a mining company here. He does NOT work underground he is a heavy equipment operator ABOVE ground, he has worked there for approx. 15 yrs.
I believe safety is a very high priority to this company. When you go unto the property everywhere you look you will see huge signs with safety rules posted . Every month a safety meeting is held at each shift change to require if workers have any safety issues and to give updates to the workers about safety. In the time my husband has worked there very few accidents have happened (hope I'm not jinxing them) and those that have happened have almost always been human error.

I personally know of two other mines right in my area that accidents are almost nonexistiant.

I will admit that there is those that are far less safe. The price of coal goes up, big companys come in, offer big wages, not worried about the safety of the men, only worried about the almighty dollar, get richer and be gone usually,but not always, sometimes they stay, usually depends on if the price of coal drops.
Coal mining is dangerous work,safety is always an issue but there are those that are as safe as any underground mine can be.

I personally don't know anything about ICG, only rumers, alot of what I heard was not good, so I will wait and see what comes out of this tragedy.

 

[fundiva]

My niece was hung on a crossbar on a swingset at a daycare when she was almost 3. She wasn't breathing when they found her and no one knows for sure how long she was deprived of oxygen. The doctors all said she would have brain damage to the front part of the brain (usually the part effected by oxygen deprivation we were told) and may never walk again. She was unconscious for over 3 days and they were concerned about the length of the coma. Happy to say that today she is a normal 14 year old left with some residual problems with fine motor skills, but smart as a whip. She had to learn how to do everything again - roll over, sit up, walk, etc. It took a couple years, but she was a fighter. The nurses and inpatients all cried the first day she was able to walk the length of the hall way at the rehab. I believe the doctors are training to give you the worst case scenario so that you will not be disappointed should that occur, but the outcome does not have to be grim. She even told us of a story about meeting a boy her age and flying in the sky to meet God, but when she got to the top of the mountain she went back because her cousin (my son - same age) wanted her to. She described the little boy and the description was exactly of a little boy who was a drown victim laying in the bed next to her at the hospital. He didn't make it. Keep Randall in your prayers and he will know.

 

[LadyLuck]

My heart goes out to the families of all the miners. I pray for a full recovery for the one survivor. It is hard for me to blame anyone. Accidents happen in all professions. I was glued to the TV as I was when the other accident happened. I think everyone was praying for the same results. During the attempted rescue, an official (I do not know who) would go and brief the family and then the media. I do not think the mining company, the federal team or the local safety team were the ones that told the family that all 12 was safe. I feel for the person that made that telephone call. I am sure he thought he had the correct information. I understand the "team" decision not to tell the family until they had the facts correct, but I do not agree. They should have told the family and news that that information could not be confirmed. They did not have to say how many were dead but that they could not confirm the information out there. I saw an interview with another miner that was down there when the explosion occurred and his team got out. He said that the company had made a lot of changes for the good. If they requested anything , it was done. He said the company was all about safety for the men.

 

[Lesleegp]

My niece was hung on a crossbar on a swingset at a daycare when she was almost 3. She wasn't breathing when they found her and no one knows for sure how long she was deprived of oxygen. The doctors all said she would have brain damage to the front part of the brain (usually the part effected by oxygen deprivation we were told) and may never walk again. She was unconscious for over 3 days and they were concerned about the length of the coma. Happy to say that today she is a normal 14 year old left with some residual problems with fine motor skills, but smart as a whip. She had to learn how to do everything again - roll over, sit up, walk, etc. It took a couple years, but she was a fighter. The nurses and inpatients all cried the first day she was able to walk the length of the hall way at the rehab. I believe the doctors are training to give you the worst case scenario so that you will not be disappointed should that occur, but the outcome does not have to be grim. She even told us of a story about meeting a boy her age and flying in the sky to meet God, but when she got to the top of the mountain she went back because her cousin (my son - same age) wanted her to. She described the little boy and the description was exactly of a little boy who was a drown victim laying in the bed next to her at the hospital. He didn't make it. Keep Randall in your prayers and he will know.

This gave me chills. My youngest is 3.

 

[GreenEyedGirl]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/06/miner.note/index.html

I think something divine was going on in that mountain...

I know the brother-in-law thinks Mr. Toler meant to say "I WILL see you on the other side", but how could he know what he meant to say...
I think Mr. Toler said exactly what he wanted to say. Did anyone else notice that the whole note is written in past tense? It's almost like he was already gone but came back for a second to give his family comfort. Like he got to the other side and realized that he could see them from the other side. He wrote:

"I see you on the other side" - he wanted them to know he was watching over them and still with them and saw them worrying for him and the others

so then he wrote:

"It wasn't bad" -past tense, comforting
"Just went sleep" - again, past tense and comforting

But the "I love you" was neither past or present, instead infinite...


That note ,to me, was more profund than anything I've ever read. I think he gave us a glimpse that there definitely is life on the other side.

Divine indeed...

Bless these families...

I thought the same exact thing. It actually gave me chills. Also, very cool!!

 

[scandi]

Hi Ember,

When Greta had the B in L on the phone, he said he thought Mr Toler came back to the note after he had written it and added the "It wasn't bad just went sleep". I wondered why it was in past tense too, and then thought maybe it was an effort for him to write the note and he wasn't thinking about what tense it was in. He knew they would be dead when the note was found and read.

That is also why I thought he left out the word 'will or made it I'll' in the main statement there. I interpreted it to mean he would see those left behind on the other side, in heaven some day.

I do agree there well could have been something divine at work in that mine to give a few of them the ability to write notes. I think the older men were incapacitated early on and unable to write notes. I know there is a family member who thinks maybe her relative put a note in his lunch box.

Do you think it was pitch dark in the mine, or were the lights on their helmets working? How long would those lights have worked?

To hold a note, written by a man who knew he was dying and wanted to comfort those who would be traumatized by his death, is so awesome to even think about. I heard there was one more note. It leads me to believe that most of the men who were older passed on much sooner.

I watched a clip of the men working on thebelt that takes the coal out and they were always stooped a bit because the ceiling was so low. I wonder how they do that all day.

You know the clip they always show of the miners walking out of the mine with the light on each helmet lit and glowing in the dark. Are these actual shots of the rescuers coming back out of the mine in a shift change?

Scandi

 

[cheko1]

The saddest thing is all the lawsuits in the world will never bring back the lost loved ones. The only people who make money off lawsuits are the lawyers. Rarely does the people......at times lawyers are known to take the entire settlement leaving people in debt from Dr bills/ or expenses of any sort. etc etcIf it is the Co at fault I hope they are fair to the families so they don't need to hire lawyers & loose money. That will take up to 5 yrs for a settlement. By then the families have suffered deplorable sufferings. They've been thru enough.

 

[Liz]

Dr. Shannon just stated that Randal has shown substantial improvement last night and this morning. With specific regard to his left lung and his brain.

That was so good to hear!

 

[JBean]

I have not followed this whole thread. But I see that one of the notes detailed the ordeal and show they were alive for about 10 hours. I know there was discussion here about the notes, just not sure if this detail came out on here yet.

Sorry if already posted.Just ignore me

PHILIPPI, W.Va. -- A coal miner left a detailed note showing that he and other trapped workers were alive at least 10 hours after an underground explosion, a family member said Saturday.



http://orangecounty.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D8F00O90D

 

[indigomood]

I have not followed this whole thread. But I see that one of the notes detailed the ordeal and show they were alive for about 10 hours. I know there was discussion here about the notes, just not sure if this detail came out on here yet.

Sorry if already posted.Just ignore me

PHILIPPI, W.Va. -- A coal miner left a detailed note showing that he and other trapped workers were alive at least 10 hours after an underground explosion, a family member said Saturday.



http://orangecounty.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D8F00O90D

Hi JBean!
Thank you for the link, that was so sad to read.
I just can't imagine the terror, fear, sadness and emotional duress those miners endured. I wish the recovery process in mining incidents wasn't so painstakingly slow, it must be agonizing for the families that wait and hope...

 

[Liz]

Randal is being air lifted back to West Virginia, according to John Kasich, Fox News Channel.

ETA link which says Dr. Shannon asked that he be moved back to WVU Ruby hospital tonight

http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=7865

 

[JBean]

Hi JBean!
Thank you for the link, that was so sad to read.
I just can't imagine the terror, fear, sadness and emotional duress those miners endured. I wish the recovery process in mining incidents wasn't so painstakingly slow, it must be agonizing for the families that wait and hope...

Hi Indi :blowkiss: I'm always happy when your little green light is on.

It's not right to know when your time is up. Can you imagine keeping your wits about you enough to memorialize your on death on paper?

 

[Tom'sGirl]

Randal is being air lifted back to West Virginia, according to John Kasich, Fox News Channel.

ETA link which says Dr. Shannon asked that he be moved back to WVU Ruby hospital tonight

http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=7865

Thanks for the link liz, so glad is was stable enough to be transported.

There's another AP article which is a bit longer at:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180976,00.html

 

[Liz]

Thanks for the link liz, so glad is was stable enough to be transported.

There's another AP article which is a bit longer at:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180976,00.html

Thanks, TG! Randy's recovery sounds more promising, with today's news. I sure hope he has a complete recovery.

John Kasich had a short interview with either Randy's bro or bro-in-law, in which he stated that they have no idea how long Randy's recovery may take, because Randy is the first person ever to have survived such a lengthy exposure to such deadly gas.

 

[Tom'sGirl]

Thanks, TG! Randy's recovery sounds more promising, with today's news. I sure hope he has a complete recovery.

John Kasich had a short interview with either Randy's bro or bro-in-law, in which he stated that they have no idea how long Randy's recovery may take, because Randy is the first person ever to have survived such a lengthy exposure to such deadly gas.

We'll all just have to hope and wait.

I'm so glad he will now be close to his family to see his progress, sure glad he is a young guy.

 

[scandi]

There are several interesting articles on mining in the New York Times today and Sunday. I can't bring a link here as I somehow clicked on something and now have this Adobe tool bar on top and can't get the link! I have no idea how to get rid of this either.

Scandi

 

[gardenmom]

I have not followed this whole thread. But I see that one of the notes detailed the ordeal and show they were alive for about 10 hours. I know there was discussion here about the notes, just not sure if this detail came out on here yet.

Sorry if already posted.Just ignore me

PHILIPPI, W.Va. -- A coal miner left a detailed note showing that he and other trapped workers were alive at least 10 hours after an underground explosion, a family member said Saturday.



http://orangecounty.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D8F00O90D

I can't believe they used the word corpses in the article. How insensitive can they be ?

 

[indigomood]

I can't believe they used the word corpses in the article. How insensitive can they be ?

OMG, I didn't catch that the first time I read it. I agree, very poor choice when there are other, kinder, more gentler ways of getting that point across. Very insensitive, careless and total disregard for the loved ones left behind...

 

[MrsMush99]

Miner returns to West Virginia
Doctor: Improvement warrants moving survivor closer to home

Saturday, January 7, 2006; Posted: 9:37 p.m. EST (02:37 GMT)

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- The sole survivor of a West Virginia mine explosion was dramatically improving Saturday as he struggled to fend off the carbon monoxide poisoning that killed his co-workers, a doctor said.

Meanwhile, doctors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said McCloy, 26, was transferred Saturday night to the West Virginia hospital where he was originally treated so he can be closer to his family.

Link