From Deseret News archives:
Miners have survived even toughest of disasters
Randy McCloy Jr. managed to live for 41 hours after the Sago Mine explosion in West Virginia in 2006. His 12 co-workers died, but for some reason McCloy survived the blast and carbon monoxide exposure and was able to leave a hospital after nearly three months of treatment.
Decades earlier, seven men were trapped underground for nine days and emerged alive after surviving the Springhill Mine disaster in 1958, one of the worst in North American history.
In that disaster, 174 men were working the mine when there was a "bump," or underground earthquake, that killed 75 of them, according to a book titled "Last Man Out: The Story of the Springhill Mine Disaster" by American writer Melissa Fay Greene.
Ninety-nine men were rescued during a lengthy rescue effort in the Nova Scotia mine that was the first such event to be televised. Of those individuals, 12 were trapped for six days, and seven men were trapped for nine days. Greene interviewed all 19 of these survivors for her book, along with miners' wives and widows.
In 1906, a mining tragedy of enormous proportions occurred at the Courrieres mine in France that killed more than 1,099 people including child workers. About 600 managed to escape.
However, 13 people who were trapped for 20 days survived and were rescued.
There is no way to predict what the outcome will be in any mining disaster because there are so many variables, according to David Kameras, communications coordinator for the United Mine Workers.
"It's hard to say how long someone can stay alive," he said. "It may not apply in this (Utah) case, but often air quality is a major factor."
It can be disastrous if mine workers are not shielded from toxic air because of methane gas leaks, but Kameras is quick to note this is typically not something that is found in mines in the Western United States.
"Obviously, depending on how a roof fall or collapse takes place, that will determine how much oxygen is available. We also don't know what kind of survival equipment these people had on them, and that clearly would be a factor, too."
Comments
- Two American pilots die in Iraq 12:47 a.m.
- Murder suspect is vetran, avid skier 12:47 a.m.
- MLB: Zambrano's mom kidnapped 12:32 a.m.
- Lambert surprisingly tops news 12:25 a.m.
- Philadelphia transit strike ends 12:25 a.m.
- TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd 12:24 a.m.
- 12 high schools ready for 'The Turf' 12:17 a.m.
- RSL unfazed by conference final 12:17 a.m.
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated 12:17 a.m.
- Today on TV 12:13 a.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
216 - House passes health care bill
201 - Lobo suspended
173 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
151 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
129 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Thousands protest health bill
102 - Provo company innovating engines
102 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89 - BYU cuts Women's Research Institute
88
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
Great article that should be required reading in the halls of Congress and in...
Thirty-nine Democrats had the courage to represent the will of the people and...
In 2004 at the Fiesta Pitt fans: "Who have you played" ... answer: "after we...
This is exciting and encouraging. Thanks for this article. I hope you will...
If Utes are paper lions what does that say about a program that gets blitzed...
G. Don Gale's concern for my intellectual well-being is apparently justified,...
Great thing about this game is that there is essentially no pressure on the...
What you BCS people say only underscores the fraud you are all apart of. Of...
Don't bother reading the actual bill, just trust the Democrats!
No they played in Hurricane



You can be the first to comment on this story.