MSHA called the Aug. 6 collapse a "catastrophic coal outburst when roof-supporting pillars failed and violently ejected coal over a half-mile area" deep inside the Emery County mine. That first collapse killed six miners. An MSHA inspector and two other men died 10 days later in another collapse while trying to rescue the six trapped workers.

A Labor Department report this past spring labeled MSHA "negligent" for its role in the Crandall Canyon disaster. Families of killed and injured miners have filed multiple lawsuits seeking answers and damages.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., last March issued a separate Senate report that blamed MSHA and Murray Energy CEO Robert Murray for the collapses. Kennedy said the 75-page report warranted a criminal investigation by the Justice Department.

Congress called on Crandall Canyon co-owner Murray to appear in front of lawmakers for his take on the allegations, but Murray has remained mum since his colorful press conferences near the mine in the weeks after the initial collapse.

Murray insisted in the beginning that an earthquake caused the mine to collapse. Later University of Utah seismologists concluded a collapse over a 50-acre area registered as a 3.9 magnitude seismic event.

The Deseret News has tried several times recently to reach Murray for comment. His son, Rob Murray, said in an e-mail that his father was not granting interviews.

The six miners who were trapped and killed by a massive collapse Aug. 6, 2007, were Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips and Manuel Sanchez.

Three more men — Dale Black, Gary Jensen and Brandon Kimber — were killed in another collapse 10 days later trying to rescue their colleagues and friends.

Some questioned MSHA's timing on a day when many Utahns celebrate Pioneer Day. MSHA officials knew about the significance of the day.

Wendy Black noted how a lot of Utahns are gone or busy that day.

"I just find it really strange they did it on a Utah holiday," Black said.

Department of Labor spokesman Matthew Faraci said at the end of the meeting that family members of the deceased were walking up to Stickler and hugging him and thanking him for all he had done and been through.

Memorials and the unveiling of a sculpture honoring the nine men are planned for next month and September in Huntington and also near the entrance of the sealed mine where the men lost their lives.

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com