Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Jan. 18, 2006, edition 1 / Page 3
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WORLD NEWS January 18,2006 3 West Virginia Mine Explosion Claims Twelve JACKIE BULLOCK Staff Writer 2006 began tragically for the community of Tallmans- ville, West Virginia. On January 2, an early morn ing explosion at the Sago Coal Mine trapped 13 min ers—killing one miner in stantly and leaving the other twelve trapped 260 feet be low ground. Another group of miners traveling in a sepa rate car behind the first group heard and felt the explosion and was able to escape the mine. Although the cause of the explosion has yet to be determined, death was by carbon monoxide that slowly spread below ground. Killed in the explosion were Thom as P. Anderson, Alva Martin Bennett, Jim Bennett, Jerry Groves, George Hamner Jr., Terry Helms, Jesse L. Jones, David Lewis, Martin Toler, Fred Ware Jr., Jack Weaver, and Marshall Winans. The lone survivor of the explo sion, Randal McCloy Jr., is currently at the Ruby Memo rial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia. The latest information on McCloy’s condition states that he has been upgraded from critical to serious condition and that he is breathing on his own. His heart and liver functions continue to improve but doc tors are concerned about his kidney function. McCloy re mains in a coma. The Sago Mine explosion is West Vir ginia’s deadliest coal min ing accident since 1968. In that explosion, 78 men died at a mine in Marion County; nineteen of those remain en tombed in the mountain. Because of dangerously high concentrations of car bon monoxide, rescuers en tered the Sago Mine more than twelve hours after the initial explosion. An Associ ated Press story on MSNBC, com stated that the miners re treated farther into the mine after the explosion and hung up a fabric covering that is intended to keep out poison ous gases. Each miner was also said to have a breathing mask. Sago officials, said that the miners were follow ing their training regarding rescue operations. Rescu ers reported finding farewell notes written by some of the deceased miners, assuring family members that they had not suffered. Government officials speaking on the condition of anonymity stated that the miners were less than half a mile from fresh air and that the miners also had access to an oxygen tank located with in the mine. It is speculated that because of the smoky conditions, the miners may not have been able to deter mine their proximity. As family and friends gath ered at Sago Baptist Church to await word of the min ers, erroneous information reached them that the twelve miners were alive—infor mation that also was errone ously reported by newspa pers and television stations. Elation turned to disbelief and anger three hours later when word was received that only one miner had sur vived. Ben Hatfield, CEO of International Coal Group, who owns the Sago Mine, blamed the misinforma tion on a “miscommunica- tion among rescue crews” and ftirther said that “In the process of being cautious, we allowed the jubilation to go on longer than it should have.” Based in Ashland, Ken tucky, International Coal Group (ICG) employs 145 miners at Sago. The Sago Mine processes 800,000 tons of coal a year for elec trical power plants. The Sago Mine was cited in 2005 for over two hundred safety violations with seventeen of those being considered seri ous problems, such as exces sive, combustible coal dust. ICG says that they inherited the majority of the prob lems from the mine’s former owner. Anker West Virginia Mining Company. ICG says Aunt Meredith Wants You... To Participate in Spring Elections! Running for an Office For more information about running for an office, please visit Student Activities and Leadership Development or visit www.meredith.edu/sga/elections_board.htm Register to Vote If you have not already registered to vote in class elections, you may do so from Tuesday. Jan. 17th to Friday, Jan. 20th. Registration forms will not be accepted after Jan. 20th. Drop off boxes are in 1st Cate and Belk Dining Hall on the Poteat side. Come and Hear the Campus-Wide and Class Candidates Have Their Say! Speeches will be held at 5:30 p.m. on the Stringfield side of Belk Dining Hall during dinner. Door prizes!!! Voting Voting begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2nd and ends at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3rd. Questions? Email elections@meredith.edu. that it has spent more than $40 million in upgrades to its West Virginia mines since acquiring them in 2004. Improvements at the Sago Mine include increas ing the amount of air circu lating underground, improv ing the mines’ underground transportation system, and improving more than two miles of escape passages. The Sago Mine remains closed while investigation into the cause of the explo sion continues. In the mean time, Sago miners are decid ing whether or not to accept work in other mines owned by ICG. Miners are aware of the danger of their jobs; for some, like Ronald Grail, mining is a way of life. Grall says that he has worked in eight or nine mines for 40 years and is eager to go back to work. He says he cannot imagine a job that he could like more. Some have al ready gone to work in other ICG mines. Danny Loudin accepted work at another ICG mine he says because “they’re excellent people to work for.” Another factor for returning to work in mines may be income. The aver age income for coal miners in West Virginia is $55,000. Owen Jones, whose brother, Jesse, was killed in the Sago explosion, is not sure if he will return to the mines but “you work for Hardee’s or McDonald’s...and then you don’t make enough money to live.” A memorial service for the miners was held on Sunday, January 15 at West Virginia Wesleyan Cdilege Chapel, located in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Candles were lit for each of the miners and first lady Gayle Manchin gave each family a statue of a coal miner. After the ser vice, mourners released bal loons. The D Staff Editor in Chief. Maria Santore herald@meredith.edu Managing Editor. Amber Littesy Layout Editor Megan Rice Copy Editors Amy Kay Nickerson Rita Hendrick Staff Photographers Terri Richards Business Manager. Stephanie Harrington Advertising Manager. Natalie Braswell Faculty Adviser. Dr. Rebecca Duncan Staff Writers. Emelia Dunston Lavren Stanfield Rachel McElwain Jackie Bullock The Meredith Herald is published by the College throughout the academic year. The paper is funded by the college and through independent advertising. All advertisements should be sent to herald@meredith.edu, attention Natalie Braswell. The opinions expressed in the editorial columns do not necessarily reflect those of the college administration, faculty, or student body. Published by Hinton Press
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