US coal mine collapse traps six-Utah - Thread No. 3

[Earthbound Misfit I]

August 27th, 2007 @ 4:00pm

(AP Photo/Department of Labor)
John Hollenhorst Reporting

There has been total silence today from mining officials about their latest strategy for locating the six trapped miners in Emery County. Also, Eyewitness News has learned that early this afternoon mine owner Bob Murray suddenly left the state of Utah.

We are anticipating a briefing for family members in Huntington. We expect them to gather at a church at about 5 p.m. for what we believe will be a briefing by federal mining officials. But it's an open question whether company officials plan to be there.

Yesterday officials unveiled with some fanfare a robot they intended to lower into the mine last night. It's capable of exploring for evidence of the lost miners by crawling hundreds of feet from the drill hole and sending video back to the surface. No one has revealed what if anything was accomplished.

The plan, as of yesterday, was to send the robot down the third and possibly the fourth of the six drill holes bored into the mine. It is programmed to take images in the darkened cavern from about 50 feet away, can travel 1,000 feet from the end of the test hole and has some ability to move around the rubble.

Experts yesterday outlined about a dozen ways the robot could get stymied, so even the planners didn't sound optimistic. There's also been no announcement about the status of a seventh drill hole, which was supposed to be started today.

No plans have been announced for any future media briefings by the government. But we did hear from an inside source that the company plans no more news briefings at all.

Meanwhile, we got a tip that Bob Murray and his entourage were leaving the state today. We saw him drive away from the mine about 12:30 p.m. Not long after that he showed up at the Price airport to board a business jet.

Murray tried to avoid our news camera....More at link: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=1705230

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

Weather Hampers Efforts at Mine
August 27th, 2007 @ 6:02pm

(AP Photo/Department of Labor)
John Hollenhorst Reporting

The owner of the Crandall Canyon mine left town today as rescue workers try to put a robot into the mine and drill a seventh borehole.

Meantime, family members of the six trapped miners have been meeting this evening. That meeting broke up after lasting only about 10 minutes or so, and there was more disappointing news for the families. Essentially nothing significant has been accomplished at the mine in the last 24 hours, largely because of bad weather.

The plan was to use a robot camera, drop it through the third drill hole into the mine and let it crawl around. That effort was hampered overnight by heavy rains that have made roads around those drill holes almost impassable. Crews did get the robot part way down the third drill hole, but they're now putting that effort on hold, as well as a plan to drill a seventh hole into the mine. It was not the news the families wanted to hear.
"So I think they're in a holding pattern," said Colin King, an attorney for the families. "They're clinging to hope, but as you can imagine, every day that goes by is making that hope more and more difficult."

In an interesting development today, mine owner Bob Murray apparently left the state. We don't know if it means anything important. We observed him leaving the mine and then climbing aboard a corporate jet at the Price airport and flying away.
Apparently he tried to avoid our news camera as he was doing that, but he did fly away, and we're not sure of the significance of that. He has not been an active factor at these family briefings in recent days, but he has been back at the media briefings that have been going on almost every day until today.

More at link: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=1705230

 

[cheko1]

Hopefully the weather will clear up & they can start.

Thanks again RKnowley for the links! You are awesome!!!!

 

[Mygirlsadie]

Those poor families. I think by now they have to know the fate of their loved one in the mine. It's so sad... As for Murray leaving the state I don't really see any big deal with that he is a buisness man and regardless he has other buisness to take care of I am sure.

 

[cheko1]

Those poor families. I think by now they have to know the fate of their loved one in the mine. It's so sad... As for Murray leaving the state I don't really see any big deal with that he is a buisness man and regardless he has other buisness to take care of I am sure.

I totally agree with you Sadie.
Murray has other mines too. I can't imagine why the media would care what he is doing? MSHA I'd imagine is behind the digging & robot going down. Murray has been told to stay away from the families.

 

[Vegas Bride]

There are many people here affected by this tragedy, please everyone remember them all in your prayers if you're so inclined. One young man who was involved in the rescue work was working right along side one of the men who was killed, he was asked to go get a piece of equipment not 15 minutes before the "bump" happened. He is struggling to come to grips with it all now and having a very hard time.

VB

 

[SewingDeb]

That must be so hard for him, Vegas Bride. I will add him and all the others affected by this tragedy to my prayers.

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

(KSL News) Rescuers hope to resume the drilling of a seventh hole into the Crandall Canyon Mine today after rain stopped the drilling yesterday.

Efforts to lower a robotic camera into the mine were also halted because of the weather.

Colin King, an attorney for the families of six trapped miners, said, "The road up there was washed out in places, [with] big boulders coming down on it. They had equipment problems. So they didn't get very far."

Many family members are frustrated and didn't attend the daily briefing. The next one is scheduled for late tomorrow afternoon. That's the next time we can expect an update.

As rescuers drill a seventh borehole and possibly an eighth.
They started on the first outside shaft two days after the mine collapsed.

This link is to an image listed in the article that shows where they haved drilled the holes. http://media.bonnint.net/slc/204/20422/2042259.jpg

More at link: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=1709862

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

I agree that the media is making something of nothing. Murray does have mines elsewhere and probably other business matters to attend to. What do they want him to do, stand around all day at the CCM and do nothing?

I totally agree with you Sadie.
Murray has other mines too. I can't imagine why the media would care what he is doing? MSHA I'd imagine is behind the digging & robot going down. Murray has been told to stay away from the families.

 

[Buzz Mills]

I agree that the media is making something of nothing. Murray does have mines elsewhere and probably other business matters to attend to. What do they want him to do, stand around all day at the CCM and do nothing?

As I mentioned before, Murray is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. He's in a no-win situation. The families of the missing miners, as well as the rest of the miners from the Crandall Canyon, and Tower, mines, as well as their entire families, are also in no-win situations. There aren't any winners in this unfortunate situation.

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

I SO agree with you! No winners here!

As I mentioned before, Murray is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. He's in a no-win situation. The families of the missing miners, as well as the rest of the miners from the Crandall Canyon, and Tower, mines, as well as their entire families, are also in no-win situations. There aren't any winners in this unfortunate situation.

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

Some Utah Miners Head To Ohio For Work

HUNTINGTON -

Miners laid off from work because of the collapse are heading to Ohio to work other coal mines owned by the same company.

Murray Energy Corp. planned to bus some of the 170 miners to the new jobs in Ohio.

Many of the miners say they can't move, however.

The Crandall Canyon mine has been closed since a cave-in Aug. 6 trapped six miners.

The company also stopped work at a Carbon County mine because of questions over the safety of the Tower mine.

Bad weather Monday postponed longshot efforts to drop a robotic camera deep into a mountain to find the missing men.

Federal safety officials told the miners' families the weather also delayed drilling on a seventh borehole.

Source: http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_240095508.html

 

[Jaded]

Some Utah Miners Head To Ohio For Work

HUNTINGTON -

Miners laid off from work because of the collapse are heading to Ohio to work other coal mines owned by the same company.

Murray Energy Corp. planned to bus some of the 170 miners to the new jobs in Ohio.

Many of the miners say they can't move, however.

The Crandall Canyon mine has been closed since a cave-in Aug. 6 trapped six miners.

The company also stopped work at a Carbon County mine because of questions over the safety of the Tower mine.

Bad weather Monday postponed longshot efforts to drop a robotic camera deep into a mountain to find the missing men.

Federal safety officials told the miners' families the weather also delayed drilling on a seventh borehole.

Source: http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_240095508.html

Our local news did a feature story on Murray Energy last night where the miners may be relocating and stated they discovered numerous safety violations in both mines here. I'll post a link if I can find it.

I feel bad for everyone involved.

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

Do you think they (Murray) will end up closing the mines there also? It is a terrible situation for everyone. I wish there could be some sort of closure here but I don't see that happening

Our local news did a feature story on Murray Energy last night where the miners may be relocating and stated they discovered numerous safety violations in both mines here. I'll post a link if I can find it.

I feel bad for everyone involved.

 

[Jaded]

Utah Miners Headed To Work In Ohio Valley

POSTED: 4:49 pm EDT August 28, 2007
UPDATED: 6:02 pm EDT August 28, 2007

As many as 40 miners from Utah are on their way to the Ohio Valley to work in mines owned by Robert Murray, the same man who owns the mine where six miners have been missing for more than three weeks.

Dozens of men left by bus and by cars early Tuesday from Utah headed for Belmont County.

Miner Aaron Simms told the Salt Lake Tribune he was taking the job in Belmont County to keep his health insurance because he has a 3-year-old child and his wife is pregnant.

It was not clear exactly which mine the men would be working at. Murray owns a number of mines in the Ohio Valley, including Century and Powhatan Number Six Mine.

Monday, NEWS9 found those mines have had hundreds of citations from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, some of them considered serious threats to employees.

More than 50 workers have been injured in those mines since the beginning of the year.

The miners should arrive in the Valley around 5 a.m. Wednesday. Stay with NEWS9 and WTOV9.com for continuing coverage.

-Renee Cardelli & John Paul, NEWS9

http://www.wtov9.com/news/13996327/detail.html

 

[cheko1]

My thoughts & prayers have been with all the miners & families since Aug 6th. Its such a catastrophe all the way around. Everyone lost!!!

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

Thanks for this info Jaded! I think coal mines in general have safety issues of one sort or another.

Utah Miners Headed To Work In Ohio Valley

POSTED: 4:49 pm EDT August 28, 2007
UPDATED: 6:02 pm EDT August 28, 2007

As many as 40 miners from Utah are on their way to the Ohio Valley to work in mines owned by Robert Murray, the same man who owns the mine where six miners have been missing for more than three weeks.

Dozens of men left by bus and by cars early Tuesday from Utah headed for Belmont County.

Miner Aaron Simms told the Salt Lake Tribune he was taking the job in Belmont County to keep his health insurance because he has a 3-year-old child and his wife is pregnant.

It was not clear exactly which mine the men would be working at. Murray owns a number of mines in the Ohio Valley, including Century and Powhatan Number Six Mine.

Monday, NEWS9 found those mines have had hundreds of citations from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, some of them considered serious threats to employees.

More than 50 workers have been injured in those mines since the beginning of the year.

The miners should arrive in the Valley around 5 a.m. Wednesday. Stay with NEWS9 and WTOV9.com for continuing coverage.

-Renee Cardelli & John Paul, NEWS9

http://www.wtov9.com/news/13996327/detail.html

 

[Buzz Mills]

Just saw the news: the camera got stuck 10 feet from the bottom of the hole they were lowering it into. they will now try another hole--I believe this would be the one at CC147.

1414'--------------1586'------------1703'--------1865'------------2039'------------
3rd----------------4th---------------6th----------2nd--------------5th---------------rescue
Hole---------------Hole-------------Hole---------Hole-------------Hole--------------workers
CC147-<-520'->-CC143-<-520'->-CC139<260'>CC137-<-520'->-CC133-<-780'->-CC127
there's 130 feet between crosscuts

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

Utah Miners Going to Midwest; Robot on Hold
August 28th, 2007 @ 6:00pm
Read it in Spanish

John Hollenhorst Reporting

Forty miners are packing up and heading east. It's their effort to keep working in the wake of Utah's mining disaster.

It was an emotional send-off today for Carbon County coal miners leaving families to keep their jobs.

In neighboring Emery County, federal mine regulators briefed the families earlier this evening on the status of the search for their loved ones, but Mine Safety and Health Administration officials had only disappointing news.

The robotic camera they were sending down the third borehole got hung up just 10 feet above the mine. The mountain had shifted, damaging the cell hole so the robot couldn't drop that last 10 feet. They did manage to retrieve the robot so they'll try again in the seventh drill hole, which should reach the mine in a day or two.

Meanwhile, Utah coal miners are heading out of state...

More at link: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=1709862

 

[Earthbound Misfit I]

Crews With Robotic Camera Await 7th Hole at Mine
August 29th, 2007 @ 12:45pm

(KSL News) Crews at the Crandall Canyon mine will now have to wait until a seventh drill hole is finished before they can send a robotic camera into the mine to look for six trapped miners.

Yesterday the robot made it within 10 feet of the mine shaft then got stuck when the settling mountain caused the borehole to shift.

Jack Kuzar of the Mine Safety and Health Administration said, "We've managed to salvage the robot. It's in good condition and it's ready to be lowered when the number-seven hole intersects the mine."

That seventh hole is expected to be complete either late today or sometime tomorrow.

More at link: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=1715794