Labor Secretary asks for outside investigation into Crandall Canyon Mine disaster

HUNTINGTON — In the face of criticism that the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration will be essentially investigating itself when it comes to the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao has announced an independent team to review MSHA's actions.

"After discussions with Administrator for Mine Safety and Health Richard Stickler, I am taking the unprecedented step of appointing independent outside experts to evaluate MSHA's actions regarding the tragedy at the Crandall Canyon Mine on August 6 and the subsequent rescue efforts," Chao said in a statement Thursday.

"The Crandall Canyon miners, the rescuers who were injured and perished in trying to save others, and the loved ones who have suffered so much in this tragedy continue to be foremost in our thoughts."

The review will include actions taken before the Aug. 6 collapse, which trapped the six miners, as well as the rescue efforts that continue to this day.

An Aug. 16 rescue attempt killed three men and injured six others, leading to the abrupt halt to underground rescue efforts. A seventh borehole drilled 1,865 feet through a mountain ended up in rubble.

Six other holes drilled into the collapsed part of the Crandall Canyon Mine have showed no sign of Brandon Phillips, Carlos Payan, Luis Hernandez, Don Erickson, Manuel Sanchez and Kerry Allred.

MSHA said its outside investigation will consist of looking at the Crandall Canyon Mine's inspection records, mine plans and other documents. The findings will be made public, the Department of Labor said in a statement Thursday.

MSHA is already conducting an investigation into the mine disaster, tapping the man who led the investigation into West Virginia's Sago Mine disaster to lead its probe. That has prompted criticism from labor unions and others that MSHA is too closely tied to the disaster.

A series of congressional hearings are set to begin next week examining the mine disaster and mine safety in general. The state of Utah also has formed a commission to examine mine safety and whether states have any role in it.

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E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com