Feds to begin investigating mine disaster

HUNTINGTON — The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration has created a team to begin investigating the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster that has trapped six miners.

In an announcement today, MSHA said the team will be led by the man who investigated West Virginia's Sago Mine disaster. Richard Gates, MSHA's district manager in Birmingham, Ala., will head up the team.

MSHA officials with experience in retreat mining, roof control and other aspects of mining have also been appointed, the agency said. Utah officials have also been invited to participate in the investigation.

"MSHA's investigation will fully examine all available evidence to find the cause of the ground failure at Crandall Canyon Mine and any violations of safety and health standards," assistant U.S. Labor Secretary Richard Stickler said in a statement today.

However, a labor union is complaining that it has been shut out of the investigation. The United Mine Workers of America said the families of the six trapped miners asked them to participate in the investigation — but MSHA denied its petition on behalf of the families.

"By denying the families any participation in this investigation, MSHA is ensuring that it will be investigating itself in this tragedy, and American coal miners deserve better than that," UMWA president Cecil Roberts said in a statement, calling on Congress to step in. A series of congressional probes are also set to begin next month.

MSHA said its investigation will seek to identify root causes of the accident and how the incident unfolded. Any violations of federal mine safety standards could result in citations against the mine's owners, MSHA said.

Investigators could begin looking into the cause of the Aug. 6 mine collapse as early as next week. Rescue efforts may still be ongoing at the time.

"Starting an investigation doesn't stop a rescue," said Al Davis, a district manager for MSHA.

Investigating what caused the collapse will be a lengthy process, with severe limitations. Rescuers still can't get underground because of seismic activity. It was a 3.9 magnitude event that trapped Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips and Manuel Sanchez in a collapsed part of the Crandall Canyon Mine.

A 1.6 magnitude event on Aug. 16 killed three rescuers underground and injured six others. That will also be apart of the investigation, MSHA officials told the Deseret Morning News.

The investigation will be different from most because it's "impossible" to get underground. However, MSHA has other means.

"They'll do it thorough analysis of the data you have at the time. What the readings might have been. They'll go into what the mountain might have been doing, past history of it, the plans that were in place before the mining operation," said MSHA spokesman Rich Kulczewski. "Interviews are a big part of the investigation. Interviewing miners, mine operator, MSHA itself."

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E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com