Rescued PA Miners Recount Ordeal (***PICTURES***)

AP ^ | July 28, 2002 | Larry Neumeister

[Alouette]

SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) - The nine coal miners who were rescued from a cramped, flooded shaft Sunday decided early in their 77-hour ordeal that they would "live or die as a group," tying themselves together so all their bodies would be found if they drowned.

They also scrawled last messages to loved ones as they huddled together to keep warm 240 feet below the Earth's surface.

"I didn't think I was going to see my wife and kids again," a teary-eyed Blaine Mayhugh told reporters, hours after being pulled out of the Quecreek Mine in western Pennsylvania.

He, his father-in-law and the seven others were stuck for more than three agonizing days, often in darkness, after water from an abandoned, water-filled mine flooded the shaft where they were working.

A desperate rescue operation that included more than 150 workers, tons of heavy equipment and 18 medical helicopters finally paid off when rescuers reached the miners Sunday morning and pulled them up a narrow shaft, one by one, in a yellow cylindrical capsule.

Though they were covered in coal dust and their heavy-duty clothes were soaked through, the miners emerged in surprisingly good physical condition.

"If you were to meet any of these guys on the street right now, you would not know that they were trapped in a cavern full of water for three days," said Dr. Russell Dumire, a trauma surgeon at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, where six of the men were taken.

One of the miners was in a decompression chamber after experiencing early symptoms of the bends, an excruciating condition caused by sudden changes in pressure, Dumire said. Two others were under observation, including Mayhugh's father-in-law, Thomas Foy, 51.

Foy told family members "he'll never go underground again," said his daughter, Tonya Butler, 26.

At the White House, President Bush "was thrilled to know that all of the miners had been rescued," spokesman Scott Stanzel said.

The miners had two working lights but saved them for forays into the shaft. Mayhugh, 31, said the men were "snuggling each other, laying up against each other, sitting back-to-back to each other, anything to produce body heat."

The miners also huddled around a pipe funneling down warm air.

The miners, Dumire said, "decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group."

Around noon Thursday, Mayhugh asked his boss for a pen when the water in the shaft was rising. "I said, 'I want to write my wife and kids to tell them I love them,'" said Mayhugh, choking back tears.

By 10:16 p.m. Saturday, rescuers had bored through the ceiling where the miners were trapped. The breakthrough let workers drop a telephone and confirm they were alive.

One of the miners reportedly requested chewing tobacco. As a result, Conemaugh hospital was inundated with chewing tobacco though doctors wouldn't immediately allow it, or the beer some miners requested, for fear of dehydration.

At the hospital, hunger overtook the miners, who "pretty much devoured anything that was put in front of them" — doughnuts, sandwiches, soup and coffee, Dumire said.

David Hess, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, promised a joint federal-state investigation to help determine why underground maps apparently showed the abandoned Saxman Mine some 300 feet away from where the miners were working.

The first miner was pulled through the 26-inch wide hole at about 1 a.m. Sunday — to the wild applause of rescuers. His comrades emerged in roughly 15-minute intervals, with the last one appearing at about 2:45 a.m. Some had chipped American flag decals on the sides of their helmets.

The first to come out, 43-year-old Randy Fogle, had reported feeling chest pains in the mine. Hospital officials said he has a history of heart problems and would remain hospitalized until at least Monday.

The miners surprised medical personnel who had prepared to treat them for symptoms of hypothermia or the bends. Decompression chambers, ambulances and 18 helicopters were at the scene 55 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

After word came the men were alive, the Sipesville Fire Hall, where the families of the men had been gathering, erupted in celebration.

Though the miners had not been heard since Thursday because of the noise of rescue equipment, mining company spokesman John Weir said they "were tapping the whole time they were down there."

The rescue attempt transfixed the nation and the region, a rural area where the hijacked Flight 93 crashed on Sept. 11.

The miners became trapped about 9 p.m. Wednesday, when they inadvertently broke into an abandoned, water-filled mine that maps showed to be 300 feet away.

Mayhugh said a 4-foot wall of water — as many as 60 million gallons — came crashing through the breached wall. "We tried to outrun it, but it was too fast," he said.

But they were able to warn a second crew, which escaped.

"They are the heroes. If not for them, there'd be dead bodies," said mine worker Doug Custer, among the group who escaped.

The trapped miners spent roughly five hours in the water, at one point attempting to break through another wall to try to bring the water level down. Instead, the level rose, forcing them to swim in their heavy miners' clothes, Mayhugh said.

Drilling a rescue shaft to the men, who ranged in age from early 30s through early 50s, began more than 20 hours after the accident when a drill rig arrived from West Virginia. Drilling was halted early Friday morning because a 1,500-pound drill bit broke after hitting hard rock about 100 feet down, delaying the effort by 18 hours.

A second rescue shaft was started, and it wasn't until Saturday that measurable progress was being made on both shafts.

Mayhugh's wife, Leslie, said she prayed throughout the ordeal. "I knew I couldn't lose my dad and my husband. I just knew it. It wasn't their day," she said.

Mayhugh said he "feels great" physically. "But emotionally ... it's going to take time to heal."

Sun Jul 28,12:34 PM ET

The third of the 9 trapped miners at the Quecreek Mine is helped out of the rescue capsule in Somerset, Pennsylvania on July 28, 2002. Despite hunger, fatigue and dangerously cold temperatures, rescuers found all nine men alive and in good condition. (Guy Wathen/Pool via Reuters)

Sun Jul 28,12:30 PM ET

Quecreek miner Harry B. Mayhugh prepares to talk to reporters as his wife, Leslie, accompanies him after his release from Somerset Hospital, at the hospital in Somerset, Pa., Sunday, July 28, 2002. Mayhugh is one of the nine trapped miners who were rescued early Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Sun Jul 28,12:24 PM ET

Quecreek miner Harry B. Mayhugh talks to reporters as his wife, Leslie, cries after his release from Somerset Hospital, at the hospital in Somerset, Pa., Sunday, July 28, 2002. Mayhugh is one of the nine trapped miners who were rescued early Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Sun Jul 28,10:06 AM ET

A sign in front of a business proclaims thanks on July 28, 2002, for the rescue of miners from a mine collapse in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Nine Pennsylvania coal miners who were trapped for three days in a flooded mine traveled one-by-one to safety Sunday in a cramped yellow rescue cage hauled up from the shaft 240 (73 metres) underground. REUTERS/Jason Cohn

Sun Jul 28, 9:00 AM ET

A sign near Quecreek Mine in Somerset, Pa., shows a message of thanks Sunday July 28, 2002, for the lives of the nine miners who were rescued early Sunday at Quecreek Mine, after being trapped for over three days underground. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Sun Jul 28, 6:34 AM ET

Rescue workers look on as Miner Dennis J. Hall is hoisted from the Quecreek Mine near Somerset, pennsylvania early Sunday July 28, 2002, where eight fellow miners and he were trapped since late Wednesday. Rescuers began hauling one-by-one the nine Pennsylvania coal miners trapped for three days in a flooded shaft 240 feet (73 metres) underground to the surface in a rescue capsule, officials said on Sunday. Despite hunger, fatigue and dangerously cold temperatures, rescuers found all nine men alive and in good condition late on Saturday. REUTERS/POOL

Sun Jul 28, 6:10 AM ET

Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker takes off his hat to the miners early Sunday, July 28, 2002, in Somerset Pa., after nine miners were pulled one-by-one from the watery, 240-foot-deep shaft where they had been trapped for three days, a jubilant reward for an effort that had been fraught with one gut-wrenching setback after another.(AP Photo/Cesar Laure, POOL)

Sun Jul 28, 6:05 AM ET

Sipesville Fire Chief Mark Zambanini gives the thumbs up sign as miner Mark Popernack, the ninth and final miner, is rescued from the Quecreek mine early Sunday, July 28, 2002, in Somerset Pa. Nine miners were pulled one-by-one from the watery, 240-foot-deep shaft where they had been trapped for three days, a jubilant reward for an effort that had been fraught with one gut-wrenching setback after another.(AP Photo/Cesar Laure, POOL)

Sun Jul 28, 6:01 AM ET

Riggger Tim Martin walks past the empty escape capsule early Sunday, July 28, 2002 in Somerset, Pa. after nine miners were pulled one-by-one from the watery, 240-foot-deep shaft where they had been trapped for three days, a jubilant reward for an effort that had been fraught with one gut-wrenching setback after another.(AP Photo/Cesar Laure, POOL)

Sun Jul 28, 5:23 AM ET

Miner Dennis J. Hall is hoisted from the Quecreek Mine early Sunday July 28, 2002 where eight fellow miners and he were trapped since late Wednesday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar/POOL)

Sun Jul 28, 5:11 AM ET

The second of the nine trapped miners at the Quecreek Mine is helped out of the rescue capsule in Somerset, Sunday July 28, 2002. Despite hunger, fatigue and dangerously cold temperatures, rescuers found all nine men alive and in good condition. (AP Photo/Guy Wathen, POOL)

Sun Jul 28, 5:07 AM ET

Rescue workers applaud as the ninth and final miner, Mark Popernack is carried to the medical tent at Quecreek Mine in Somerset, Pa., early Sunday July 28, 2002. Nine miners trapped since Wednesday evening were successfully rescued.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar/POOL)

Sun Jul 28, 5:04 AM ET

Miner John Phillippi is rescued from the Quecreek Mine, Sunday July 28, 2002 in Somerset, Pennsylvania. All nine miners trapped since Wednesday evening were successfully rescued. REUTERS/POOL-Gene J. Puskar

Sun Jul 28, 4:51 AM ET

Rescued miner Robert Pugh is carried to the medical tent at the Quecreek Mine in Somerset, Pa., early Sunday July 28, 2002. Nine miners were rescued after being trapped since Wednesday evening.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar/POOL)

Sun Jul 28, 4:27 AM ET

The last miner gives a thumbs up as he is removed from the Quecreek Mine July 28, 2002 in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Nine Pennsylvania coal miners who were trapped for three days in a flooded mine traveled one-by-one to safety on Sunday in a cramped yellow rescue cage hauled up through a 26-inch (66-cm) wide rescue shaft. (Pool/Reuters)

Sun Jul 28, 4:23 AM ET

Miners at the Quecreek Mine embrace early July 28,2002 after nine of their co-workers were rescued after being trapped in the mine since late Wednesday. Larry Summerville (L), Doug Custer (C) and Jim Weiland right. Custer and Summerville were in the mine at the time of the incident, and escaped by being warned by the team of miners who were trapped. Weiland was about to begin his shift in the mine at the time of the accident. REUTERS/POOL/Gene J. Puskar

Sun Jul 28, 4:17 AM ET

Onlookers cheer as an ambulance carrying the last of nine rescued miners leaves the site of a mine disaster in Somerset, Pennsylvania, on July 28, 2002. All nine miners, who had been trapped 240 feet below the surface since July 24, were safely rescued. REUTERS/Jason Cohn

[MinuteGal]

Merci, Alouette. I appreciate your work in posting these human drama photos.

Leni

[SuziQ]

Thanks be to God! I'm just in tears of joy looking at these pictures. The ones with the miner and his wife did it for me. She knows just what a blessing it is having him beside her, as does he! I put in a tape and left it on when they first started bringing them out last night. I haven't watched it yet, but I plan to do that this evening, even though I'll have to endure Geraldo!

[linn37]

what a wonderful day it must be for the miners and their familys...God Bless Them.

[linn37]

hey when they replayed Geraldo crying with relief that these men were safe I cried right along with him.

[Unknown Freeper]

I love that happy look on the face of the fire chief. And you can see the love that the wife has for her husband in those two shots of them together. Today is a good day.

[LibKill]

I was leaving work Friday afternoon and reflecting that it had been a fairly rough week.

Then I remembered these poor men trapped 100+ feet underground.

My week then looked like heaven by comparison.

I'm really happy they got out alive.

[McGavin999]

What a day! I stayed up all night to watch the men being brought up, it was incredible. Americans are tough people, and these miners are amoung the toughest. There's no doubt about it the hand of God was in this rescue.

Isn't it funny that during the nineties all we saw were the soft, "sensitive" girly-men and we feared for our country. Now we see everyday how truely strong and gritty our people are.

[bandleader]

I Prayed Hard For Those Guys And Their Rescuers And Families!!I Guess That I Should Have Asked The Lord For Something For Me While I Was At It!!!!I'm Only Kidding,Praise The Lord God Almighty!!!!!!!!!!!

[JZoback]

Wonderful pictures

Thanks

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I see no signs of respirators marks on their faces. Curious: how do they clean out their lungs from the carbon? what is on their faces, wouldn't it have been inhaled as well?

Thank God they are alive and able to return to their loved ones. Thanks for the post.

[flying Elvis]

9 4 9 bump

[Tennessee_Bob]

Curious: how do they clean out their lungs from the carbon?

Can you say black lung?

what is on their faces, wouldn't it have been inhaled as well?

The water from the abandoned mine was full of coal dust, as well, the Quecreek mine was full of coal dust (as well as rock dust to minimize the explosive potential of the coal). That's what you're seeing on their faces, the sludge from the water that flooded them. As far as respirator marks, I'm sure the first thing they did was take the respirators off. All they do is protect you from particulate, not from gas. There are rescue rebreathers for that, but they wouldn't have lasted the three days. If there had been methane in the atmosphere, they wouldn't have made it.

[Jesse]

Coal dust is fairly innocuous in and of itself...it is generally too large to be inhaled into the small passages of the lung, and is trapped in the nose and the larger air passages where you cough it up. What gets you in black lung disease is the fine silicone dust, which is so small it is inhaled into the terminal airways and destroys lung tissue. But what really made silicosis and black lung disease bad is that most people who got it also smoked cigarettes.

What a great ending for a near tragedy. I was surprised they didn't just pop all these guys into a decompression chamber, especially since at least one of they exhibited evidence of decompression sickness.

I hope they bronze that escape capsule. You people from PA...what was the deal with the governor? Making political hay, or is he an alright guy?

With all the screwups and problems we have in our country, this whole thing makes me proud to be an American. I was listening on the radio in bed last night to live ABC coverage, and after the live coverage ended, the radio station played God Bless America. Not ashamed to admit I cried...hell, I've got a few tears running right now just writing about it.

Where else could they have gotten it together enough to pull these guys out of a black hole?

[PoisedWoman]

Another bump for touching, wonderful photos. "God Gave Us a Miracle," indeed.

[f.Christian]

Pumping all that air in the mine through that 6' bore hole to keep the water level down and raise the air temperature was a brilliant way to save these mens lives!

Congratulations and thanks to all!

[ex-snook]

Great job - thanks for the pics.

[vance]

Terrific thread. Bump.

[bvw]

With all due respect to these fellows, mayne they should have spent some time in the decompression chamber.

[bvw]

I think their joints, long term, would have thanked them.