Only 1 survivor rescued from W. Va. coal mine
Man hospitalized in critical condition after word that 12 of 13 survived
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Daniele Bennett cries after hearing early Wednesday that her father was one of the coal miners who died in the Sago Mine in Tallmansville, W. Va. NBC VIDEO
• Anger over disaster
Jan. 4: John Bennett, whose father died in the mine, and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin speak on "Today" about the disaster and the miscommunication.
Today show
NBC VIDEO: MINE DISASTER
Today show
• Joy turns to anguish in West Va. mine
Jan. 4: Family members of the trapped West Virginia miners were exuberant overnight upon learning there were 12 survivors, but hours later their joy turned to heartbreak. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
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• Doctor talks about Sago mine survivor
• Victim's son, gov. discuss mine accident
• Mining hazards explained
• Animation of mine explosion
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BREAKING NEWS
NBC News and news services
Updated: 8:09 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2006
TALLMANSVILLE, W.Va. - In a stunning and heartbreaking reversal, mining officials told family members early Wednesday that 11 of the 12 trapped coal miners initially thought to have survived a mine explosion had died.
The devastating news came more than three hours after Gov. Joe Manchin announced he had been told 12 of the miners survived the disaster. Rescue crews found the first victim earlier Tuesday evening.
“About the confusion, I can’t tell you of anything more heart-wrenching than I’ve ever gone through in my life. Nothing,” Manchin said.
“I’m outraged,” he later told NBC’s “Today” show, adding that the state would investigate the cause of the explosion, the miscommunication and the mine’s numerous safety and health violations last year. “We’re going to look into this,” Manchin vowed.
John Bennett, whose father Jim Bennett was one of the victims and had been due to retire in April, complained that his father would “tell me how unsafe the mine is.”
Problems at the mine had been “going on for months ... and they still send men in,” Bennett told “Today,” adding that he felt that if the mine owner had allowed workers to unionize the violations wouldn’t have happened.
Survivor in critical condition
The sole survivor of the disaster, identified by mining officials as 26-year-old Randal McCloy, was hospitalized in critical condition early Wednesday, a doctor said. When he arrived, he was unconscious but moaning, the hospital said.
“It’s sorrow beyond belief,” Ben Hatfield, chief executive officer of mine operator International Coal Group, said during a news conference.
Slide show
• Agonizing wait
Relatives of the 13 trapped miners waited since Monday for news after the accident in Sago. Click "Launch" to view a slide show of images.
Thirteen miners had been trapped 260 feet below the surface of the Sago Mine since an explosion early Monday. The mine is located about 100 miles northeast of Charleston. As rescue workers tried to get to the men, families waited at the Sago Baptist Church during an emotional two-day vigil.
But late Tuesday night, families began streaming out of the church, yelling “They’re alive!” The church’s bells began ringing and families embraced, as politicians proclaimed word of the apparent rescue a miracle.
As an ambulance drove away from the mine carrying what families believed was the first survivor, they applauded, not yet knowing there were no others.
Though the governor announced that there were 12 survivors, he later indicated he was uncertain about the news. As word buzzed through the church of survivors, he tried to find out what was going on, he said.
“All of a sudden we heard the families in a euphoric state, and all the shouting and screaming and joyfulness, and I asked my detachments, I said, ‘Do you know what’s happening?’ Because we were wired in and we didn’t know,” Manchin said.
'Miscommunication'
Hatfield blamed the wrong information on a “miscommunication.” The news spread after people overheard cell phone calls, he said. In reality, rescuers had only confirmed finding 12 miners and were checking their vital signs.
But what leaked out to anxious family members was that 12 were found alive. At least two family members in the church said they received cell phone calls from a mine foreman.
“That information spread like wildfire, because it had come from the command center,” Hatfield said.
Three hours later, Hatfield told the families that “there had been a lack of communication, that what we were told was wrong and that only one survived,” said John Groves, whose brother Jerry Groves was one of the trapped miners.
“There was no apology. There was no nothing. It was immediately out the door,” said Nick Helms, son of miner Terry Helms.
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Chaos broke out in the church and a fight started. About a dozen state troopers and a SWAT team were positioned along the road near the church because police were concerned about violence. A Red Cross volunteer, Tamila Swiger, told CNN people were breaking down and suffering panic attacks.
Company officials waited to correct the information until they knew more about the rescue, Hatfield said.
“Let’s put this in perspective. Who do I tell not to celebrate? I didn’t know if there were 12 or 1 (who were alive),” Hatfield said.
Anne Meredith, whose father died in the incident, said: “I feel that we were lied to all along,” adding that she planned to sue ICG.
Virginia Dean, whose uncle was another victim, reacted by saying, “Only one lived. They lied.”
CONTINUED: Earlier mine disasters
Talk about making you loose your appetite. Condolences to those families and friends.
