Rescuers to Attempt another Search of Mine as Toxic Gas Levels Drop

Montcoal, WV (Apr 08) – Toxic gas levels at the Upper Big Branch mine have been lowered enough to allow rescuers another venture back into the mine in search of the four remaining unaccounted workers trapped by Monday’s blast.

Teams spent more than four hours today searching the mine but, were called off when sensors indicated high concentrations of methane building up in the shaft. Rescuers left their gear behind during their retreat with the hopes of reducing the amount of time spent traveling back into the mine once the “all clear” has been given.

Rescuers were within 450 feet of an airtight chamber with four days of emergency supplies when they were ordered back out for their own protection.

“It’s a roller coaster for these people,” stated Kevin Stricklin of the federal Mine Health and Safety Administration, “It’s very emotional. You can only imagine what it would be like,” regarding the latest rescue attempt and the patience of the families of the remaining missing miners.

Rescuers describe the scene inside the mine after today’s failed rescue attempt as, “a horrendous explosion and a lot of destruction,” with bodies and debris scattered all around.

Two miners injured in the blast that managed to escape, one of which is still in intensive care.

Seven bodies were removed from the mine on Monday and at least 18 remain trapped inside the devastation. Searchers have remarked it appeared that emergency sensors may not have indicated any imminent danger as there appeared to be no sign of an evacuation or indications that workers were re-treating the location prior to the blast. The Governor’s reaction regarding the positioning of bodies found in an underground railcar, “Did a sensor not go off?”

The federal mine agency has a team of investigators on the scene with orders from President Obama to produce a report on the incident by next week on the cause of the blast.

In the meantime, a third borehole is being drilled in the location of a rescue chamber in attempts to lower a video camera in search of survivors.

Posted by rgrone on April 8, 2010. Filed under National News,News,WorldNewsVine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.