Drill Reaches Depth Of Trapped Utah Miners

[StrawberryFields]

Drill reaches depth of trapped Utah miners

Rescuers find no audible evidence of survivors, but caution work not done

Updated: 1 hour, 33 minutes ago

HUNTINGTON, Utah - The frenetic effort to drill into the presumed location of six workers trapped in a collapsed mine yielded no audible evidence of survivors early Friday. But rescuers cautioned their work isn’t done and that air quality in the mine could sustain life.

Using a steel drill bit to bore a 2½-inch wide hole more than 1,800 feet into the mountain site of Monday’s cave-in, rescuers finally broke through late Thursday into the cavity where authorities believe the miners are trapped. A crude measurement found enough oxygen to keep the men going if they survived the collapse.

But a microphone dropped into the void failed to pick up any sounds indicating the miners are alive. And though the air sample indicated plenty of oxygen and no methane in the pocket, it also did not pick up carbon dioxide, the gas exhaled when people breathe.

Despite the silence, company officials remained hopeful.

“I wouldn’t look at it as good or bad news. The work is not done,” said Bob Murray, chairman of Murray Energy Corp., who added early Friday that oxygen levels suggested that if the men survived the collapse, “they’re going to stay alive in that atmosphere.”

Relatives told not to be discouraged

The air sample was sucked from the cavity through a steel tube, with a microphone attached to pick up any signs of life.

Relatives shouldn’t be discouraged by the lack of carbon dioxide, an attorney for the company said.

“What you got was a quick sample from a crude instrument, so you don’t get all the constituents reported,” said attorney Christopher Van Bever.

The drill bit finally broke through at 9:47 p.m. MDT on Thursday, more than two days after drilling began. Two hours later, Murray and officials from the Mine Safety and Health Administration said there was no immediate response after the drill reached the pocket.

Meanwhile, drilling continued on a second, wider hole, which could accommodate a powerful camera to provide a view inside the pocket, deliver food and water, and hopefully give a more definitive answer about the miners’ fate.

Work also continued in the mine itself, where rescuers were slowly burrowing through the debris to reach the workers.

“It’s incredibly labor-intensive,” said Rob Moore, vice president of Murray Energy.

Families pray for miners' survival

If the miners are alive, they might be sitting in inky darkness, their headlamps likely having burned out. Wearing thin work clothes in the 58-degree cold, they could be chilled to the bone if water is seeping into their chamber 150 stories below ground, other miners say. Murray said each miner would typically have had a half-gallon of water.

At the time of the collapse, the six miners were working in an area with an 8-foot ceiling. Corridors in the mine are typically about 14 feet wide.

The mining company has withheld the names of the six miners. The Associated Press has confirmed five identities: Carlos Payan, Don Erickson, Kerry Allred, Manuel Sanchez and Brandon Phillips.

The men’s families were praying for their survival, one relative said.

“There are all types of conditions that could be in there for these folks ... some little cavity, some little corner,” said Arch Allred, cousin of miner Kerry Allred.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20180882/?GT1=10252

[shanstress70]

I was watching coverage of this last night and was hoping for some positive news when I woke up this morning. Who knows? Stranger things have happened... perhaps we'll get good news about these miners today.

[StrawberryFields]

You are right Shan, :)

[pam]

I hope you are right Shan. Would be wonderful to find out these men are still alive.

[Josie]

I agree with Pam, it would be wonderful for everyone, especially the families of these miners.

[pushka]

My father having been a coal miner for 30 years, I can empathise with the worries of the families of the miners in this incident.

My best wishes go to all concerned, that there will be a positive outcome to the search.

[FrankJL]

This is hitting people here in Western PA pretty hard too. We still have a lot of coal mining out here too. It was just 3 years ago we had the Quecreek mine collapse.

[pam]

What I'm now afraid of...with all the setbacks...and with no response from the miners..it may all be too late. That they are now working on a recovery effort and not a rescue effort. It has now been a week.

[cll]

there is always hope

[bunnzy]

If you are looking for hope, have a look at what happened here in australia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaconsfield_mine_collapse

[pam]

This is the latest news to come out.

There is still no word if the six trapped miners inside the Crandall Canyon mine for 10 days are alive.

At an evening press conference, Richard Stickler with the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration said geophones picked up a pattern of audio from inside the mine. It happened this morning around 10:00 and lasted about five minutes. Crews have analyzed the noise, but they can't confirm what the noise is or where it's coming from. Crews are going to drill a fourth hole where they heard the noise from the geophones.

Sure gives the families hope again.

[Guest Yediyd]

This hit very close to home with me...I am from Clay county West Virginia...So many of my uncles and my father were coal miners!! I was raised around the mines...I've heard many a story, and my father died of Cancer of the lungs...he also had black lung...My grandfather died of black lung....

...I am praying for these men, but I am losing hope...

[Josie]

It would be wonderful if they would find them alive and be able to get to them and get them out. It would truly be a blessing from God.

[pam]

Here's the latest. Really sad.

-- A disastrous cave-in Thursday night killed a rescue worker and injured at least eight others who were trying to tunnel through rubble to reach six trapped miners, authorities said.

"All rescue workers have been evacuated from the mine. Nine rescue workers were injured in the accident. One of those suffered fatal injuries," said Dirk Fillpot, a spokesman for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

We're told of the eight injured people, two of them were workers with MSHA. The victim who died was a miner with the Crandall Canyon mine.

An MSHA spokesman said injuries have been described as everything from chest injuries to just cuts and scrapes.

Jeff Manley, CEO of Castleview hospital says they received six patients and were told three others were flown directly to Salt Lake area hospitals.

Manley says of the six sent to Castleview, one died, one has been released to go home, one was sent by helicopter to a Salt Lake hospital and three others are still being treated.

[Guest Yediyd]

[pam]

Word just out. A second rescue miner has passed away due to injuries.

[StrawberryFields]

[susieSA]

The last I saw on CNN there is a third one who has passed away

[Elphaba]

The last I saw on CNN there is a third one who has passed away

I'm a crier, and I've been crying all night about this. I can hardly stand the tragedy upon tragedy.

Elphaba

[susieSA]

<div class='quotemain'>

The last I saw on CNN there is a third one who has passed away

I'm a crier, and I've been crying all night about this. I can hardly stand the tragedy upon tragedy.

Elphaba

For Elphie

[Elphaba]

<div class='quotemain'>

<div class='quotemain'>

The last I saw on CNN there is a third one who has passed away

I'm a crier, and I've been crying all night about this. I can hardly stand the tragedy upon tragedy.

Elphaba

Awww, my Susie Patootie

Thank you for that well-needed hug. Seriously well-needed hug.

Love you with all my heart.

Elphie

[susieSA]

Awww, my Susie Patootie

Thank you for that well-needed hug. Seriously well-needed hug.

Love you with all my heart.

Elphie

There's allot more where that came from :)

[Guest Yediyd]

I am trying to not let this get to me, but when I think about those families...I know about the anxiety of being related to miners!!! I'm still having trouble getting the images out of my mind of that little baby and her mother getting their throats slit in the name of religion that I read about in one of these threads yesterday...I actually had a nightmare about it last night!!! {{{{{{{{{shudder}}}}}}}}}}

...and El, Dang! I miss my coffee!! (Wink!)

[Elphaba]

I am trying to not let this get to me, but when I think about those families...I know about the anxiety of being related to miners!!! I'm still having trouble getting the images out of my mind of that little baby and her mother getting their throats slit in the name of religion that I read about in one of these threads yesterday...I actually had a nightmare about it last night!!! {{{{{{{{{shudder}}}}}}}}}}

...and El, Dang! I miss my coffee!! (Wink!)

Right back at ya, Yed.

Thanks ssoooooooo much for the hug!

Elphie

[StrawberryFields]

Last night as I listened to the news report they mentioned that there were some head injuries. They also said that those small hospitals close to where this happened were not prepared he handle head injuries. I saw that they had one person go through Life Flight to SLC.

I wonder what kind of injuries these men died from.