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Last bodies recovered from West Virginia coal mine
By: cnn.comPosted On: 04/13/2010 2:08 P
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The last of the bodies of 29 men killed in a coal mine explosion were removed from the mine early Tuesday, officials said.
The last of the bodies of 29 men killed in a coal mine explosion were removed from the mine early Tuesday, officials said.
Authorities redirected airflow in the mine to decrease methane levels that had impeded recovery efforts on Sunday, said Jama Jarrett, spokeswoman for the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training.
The bodies of seven victims were recovered shortly after the explosion last week, and 13 bodies were removed Sunday.
Bodies of the remaining victims were removed overnight, Jarrett said Tuesday morning.
With the bodies retrieved, a state and federal investigation can now begin to fully study conditions inside the Upper Big Branch South Mine.
On Monday, U.S. Attorney Charles T. Miller announced federal prosecutors were "ready, willing and able" to pursue an investigation into the disaster.
"If the investigation undertaken by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reveals that criminal violations have occurred, we will work vigorously with investigators to pursue those offenses to the fullest extent of the law," Miller said in a statement released by his Charleston office.
The office said it does not typically confirm the existence of an investigation, but was making an exception "in light of the substantial publicity and numerous media inquiries, and in the interest of the community and public."
Until Sunday, U.S. flags on all federal buildings in the state will be kept at half-staff per a proclamation that President Obama signed on Monday.
Richmond, Virginia-based Massey Energy Co., which owns the mine, said Tuesday it will work with officials to swiftly "determine the cause of this tragic explosion" and will attend to victims' families "to ensure they have the support they need."
"I want to thank the rescue teams from Massey Energy, teams from other coal companies and all others who worked tirelessly and selflessly for more than a week to recover the miners at the Upper Big Branch mine," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Don Blankenship.
"Coal miners are an extended family, and the dedication of our miners and miners from competitor companies who put their own lives at risk in the search and recovery effort is commendable."
In the wake of the blast, some have pointed to Massey's safety record. But the company said the mine has had fewer than one violation per day in inspections by MSHA and added the rate is "consistent with national averages."
Most of the blast victims were working in an area where long-wall cutting was taking place. The technique uses a large grinder to extract the coal and creates large amounts of coal dust and methane gas, both of which are explosive.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said Saturday that, even though the cause of the explosion is unclear, there needs to be a focus on better ventilation and on sensors to alert mine personnel when gas levels become dangerous.
The mining disaster was the worst in the United States since 1972, when 91 miners died in a fire at the Sunshine Mine in Kellogg, Idaho.
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