A top federal mine official conceded today to Utah lawmakers that if the next bore holes fail in the attempt to reach six trapped coal miners, "there's a possibility that we may not be able to remove the miners from the mine."
If that happens, Murray Energy has said it will seal the mine, Kevin Stricklin said at meeting on Utah's Capitol Hill among Utah legislators and newly-appointed members of the governor's mine safety panel.
Stricklin, chief of coal mine safety for the Mine Safety and Health Administration, reviewed in great detail the pertinent events that have transpired since that fateful Monday morning on Aug. 6
Following his 45-minute account, he pledged to continue all efforts with the mindset that this is still a rescue mission and reiterated there is still hope the six trapped miners could still be found alive.
However, he tempered his remarks by stating that those efforts will only last as long as there are viable rescue options available.
Stricklin also said his agency has been in contact with the families and told them the agency will not risk any more lives to explore the mine unless there is verifiable proof that someone could be saved.
During a question-and-answer session, Stricklin fielded various questions from lawmakers, including those wondering what will happen if it is determined the miners can't be saved or recovered. He said, "Basically after the next couple of bore holes (are drilled), we'll really need to re-evaluate if there are any other options for us," adding that there exists the possibility the miners will not be recovered.
If that situation does occur, Stricklin says Murray Energy has said it will seal the mine.
Meanwhile, coal hauling operations resumed Wednesday from the Crandall Canyon Mine while work continued on a seventh bore hole which may be the last hope to find the men.
Trucks loaded with 45 tons of coal were steadily leaving the mine entrance throughout the morning, delivering coal to customers who have orders that need to be filled, UtahAmerican Energy President Bruce Hill said. The company is a subsidiary of Ohio-based Murray Energy, which owns the mine.
The coal is not being removed from inside of the mine, but is being taken from a mound of about 65,000 tons of coal that is outside of the mine. Hill said they would haul it from Crandall Canyon as they need it to meet orders from customers.
"We could take days or we could take months," he said.
The company waited to haul the coal until the media cleared away from the mouth of the canyon, because foot traffic was too heavy to safely move trucks. But the coal does need to be removed from the site to prevent it from catching fire and to meet orders, Hill said.
Equipment removal is the only work being done inside the mine, and that is only being done in areas considered safe. All other operations, including efforts to rescue the six miners, were halted after an Aug. 16 collapse that killed three rescuers.
The six miners — Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips and Manuel Sanchez — were trapped during a collapse early this month about 3 miles from the mine entrance. No sign of them has been seen since the collapse.
Hauling operations did not need to be approved by MSHA, even though they are still working to drill into the "kitchen" area of the mine. There is hope that the miners may have escaped into that area.
"It's almost like taking equipment out of the mine," MSHA spokesman Richard Kulczewsi said. "They are within their rights."
As for the drilling progress, Kulczewski only said that the work is continuing. A briefing with family members of the six miners is planned for 5 this afternoon, with a brief news conference to follow.
On Tuesday, MSHA officials estimated that the drill would reach the mine sometime tonight or early tomorrow. After that, they will attempt to find the miners by banging on the drill, lowering a camera into the hole, and eventually dropping a robot into the mine.
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