Utah town vents anger, questions mine safety

Experts question rescue efforts
The Aug. 6 cave-in that trapped the men is believed to have been caused by a mountain bump. Working 1,500 feet underground, the six miners might have been blasted by flying coal, or buried underneath rubble. Murray has said they might not have survived the initial cave-in.

He’s insisted the collapse was caused by an earthquake, even though government seismologists say the mine cave-in itself is what caused the ground to shake.

Since then, there have been several other bumps, including another violent one last week, which killed the rescue workers, injured six others and led MSHA to call off efforts to dig underground to the six trapped miners.

Four test holes drilled into the mountain have not detected signs of life, and have shown there is little breathable air in the mine. A fifth test hole was expected to be completed Wednesday morning, but officials said they did not expect any good news. They have said the mountain is so unstable that nobody will be sent in unless there are survivors.

Experts point to that instability as they question the entire operation at Crandall Canyon.

“The plans that were developed by the company and approved by MSHA in June were obviously completely defective,” said Jack Spadaro, former director of the National Mine Health and Safety Academy, a mine engineer and consultant who has advised the United Mine Workers of America and attorneys representing injured miners. “It seems incomprehensible they would have approved a plan to remove barrier pillars in June.”

'The reality must sink in'
Murray has pushed for better mine safety, and Crandall Canyon had a better-than-average safety record, according to experts. Union officials who have battled with his Ohio-based Murray Energy Corp. say his 19 mines in five states have accumulated an average safety record. Federal documents show it varies widely from mine to mine in the number of fines, citations and injuries.

Murray became the public face of the mine disaster at the start of the rescue attempts, leading media tours and promising to find the men. After the rescuers died last Thursday, he dropped from sight for several days, re-emerging Monday to meet with families and tell them their relatives are likely dead.

“Their reception to me was probably not good. But at some time, the reality must sink in, and I did it as compassionately as I possibly could,” he said.

Before the funeral Tuesday, the widow of rescue worker Dale Black asked mourners to refrain from confronting Murray. He was met with hard looks and fingerpointing, and the man with the dollar bill who declined to be identified.

As Murray walked away from the scene, his son picked up the dollar.

“We’ll give it to the church,” Ryan Murray said.

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