13 workers still trapped

2006-01-03 22:59

Tallmansville - A mining company executive said officials are "very discouraged" by air quality tests in the mine, where 13 workers are trapped, and planned to drill a third hole to try to reach the miners more than 24 hours after an explosion.

Ben Hatfield, chief executive officer of mine owner, International Coal Group Inc, said tests found that carbon monoxide levels of 1 300 parts-per-million in the Sago Mine, far exceeded the 400 parts-per-million maximum safe level set by federal regulatory limits.

Hatfield said: "We are very discouraged by the results of this test." Still, Hatfield said the trapped miners could still be alive.

Hatfield made the comments after rescuers trying to reach the trapped miners successfully punched a hole into the mine early on Tuesday.

Trapped miners 'barricaded somewhere'

A camera was inserted into the 16cm hole to look for signs of life.

Hatfield said drilling crews pounded on steel pipes and listened for a response in the section of the mine, where the trapped miners were believed to be located.

Hatfield said: "They could be in another location or they could be barricaded somewhere."

An explosion at 06:40 on Monday trapped the miners 80m below the surface of the mine, located about 160km northeast of Charleston.

Governor Joe Manchin said: "We're still hoping for that miracle as you know."

Rescue efforts

After the test, some family members, who had been optimistic and talkative earlier, retreated into a nearby church without making any comments.

Nick Helms, whose 50-year-old father, Terry, was among the trapped miners, called the news "devastating".

The White House on said Tuesday that the federal government was assisting in rescue efforts and President George W Bush was being regularly briefed on the situation.

Scott McClellan of the White House said: "We are praying and hoping for the best. The miners and their families are in our thoughts and prayers."

Earlier on Tuesday, rescuers had penetrated more than 2 700m into the Sago coalmine, but were ordered to return to the surface on Tuesday before the drilling crew punched into the mine.

Communication equipment damaged

Hatfield said officials thought the workers should be removed in case the drilling caused a build-up of carbon monoxide that could endanger the rescuers.

Four co-workers tried to reach the trapped miners immediately after the explosion, but stopped because of contaminated air.

The blast knocked out the mine's communication equipment, preventing authorities from contacting the miners.

Several hundred family members and friends waited for word on the miners, including Daniel Merideth, the son-in-law of trapped miner Alby Martin Bennett, who had planned to retire this year.

Merideth said: "Every day he would come home and pray for who was going in. Right now he is probably in there witnessing to people. He would be organising and praying."

- AP