Six Coal Miners Trapped in Utah

Around 4:00 a.m. on August 6, 2007 GenWal Resources Crandall Canyon Mine in Huntington Canyon, Utah collapsed trapping six miners whose rescue is still underway.

The area where the miners are believed to be trapped is comprised of a 1,700-foot-long tunnel into which rescuers are attempting to drill with a special rig. The CEO of Murray Energy which is a part owner of the mine is Robert Murray, formerly of North American Coal Corp.

The collapse of the mine was believed to have been a result of an earthquake reported by the U.S. Geological Survey as occuring around 3:00 that same morning in the area. However, the Seismographic Station at the University of Utah indicated to the Salt Lake City Tribune that the earthquake, registered at 3.9, could have been the collapse itself although this is not conclusive and the area is near active faults.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration had visited Crandall Canyon on July 5, 2007 and cited GenWal for violating a safety regulation requiring at least two separate escape passageways at the sight. The mine had received this same violation twice before in fewer than two years. In 2005, the mine was fined $963 for the lack of escape passageways. In 2006, the fine for the continued violation was just $60. Additionally, the mine had over 300 violations in three years.

The violations are not the mine's only problems. Crandall Canyon practices a common form of coal mining known as "retreat mining" where coal pillars are set up to support the mine's roof until the mining is completed. At that time, the mining company pulls the support pillar(s) causing the mine to collapse on itself. While this controversial method has been criticized as being particularly unsafe, it is still often used. 

As rescue efforts continue with fresh workers, friends and family of the miners wait for reports of survival and rescue at the Senior Center in Huntington, Utah.