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Special Team to Investigate Mining Accident

September 7th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

The Mine Safety and Health Administration, MSHA has launched a complete investigation into the causes of the Crandall Canyon mining tragedy that resulted in the loss of 9 lives, with 6 rescuers seriously injured.

“MSHA’s investigation will fully examine all available evidence to find the cause of the ground failure at Crandall Canyon mine and any violations of safety and health standards,” said Richard E. Stickler, assistant secretary of labor for Mine Safety and Health.

The August 6, 2007 cave-in of the Emery County, Utah mine buried six miners. Luis Hernandez, Carolos Payan, Manuel Sanchez, Brandon Phillips, Don Erickson and Kerry Allred were working more than 4 miles inside the shaft when a seismic event caused the mine to collapse.

The MSHA quickly sent rescue teams to dig the miners out. Within a day, Richard E. Stickler was onsite. On the evening of August 16, a second seismic event caused that tunnel to collapse, killing three rescue workers. Dale Ray “Bird” Black, Brandon Kimber and MSHA inspector Gary “Gibb” Jensen were fatally injured, while 6 additional rescue workers were seriously injured. “Bird” Black was an avid outdoorsman always ready to help co-workers who needed a hand. Brandon Kimber was 28, the father of three young children. “Gibb” Jensen was a practical jokester who took his role on the mine rescue team seriously.

Controversy continues to swirl around two questions. Was the MSHA aware of the March seismic “bump” near the very spot where the mine collapsed? And, did the MSHA approve changes to the mining operation that made it more hazardous after Bob Murray purchased the mine in August, 2006?

The MSHA is taking steps to determine the causes of the accident. The agency has appointed a team of highly-skilled mine safety pros from outside the Utah district, to evaluate all aspects of the accident from initial causes to rescues efforts. The special investigative team will summarize its findings in a formal report to identify any problems and errors in how the incident unfolded. Any problems with the response, or violations of federal mine safety standards will be cited at the end of the investigation.

The special investigative team is assembled from across the nation. MSHA chief Richard Stickler announced that Richard A. Gates, MSHA District Manager from Birmingham, Alabama, will head of the group. Gates is a 19-year veteran of MSHA with hands-on experience as ventilation specialist, mining engineer and assistant district manager. Gates lead the investigation into the Sago Mine disaster in 2006.

A number of mining safety experts will be working with Gates on the special investigative team. These include Timothy R. Watkins, Assistant District Manager from Kentucky, whose expertise is in ventilation and retreat mining. Gary E. Smith, a supervisor from the Pennsylvania branch of MSHA will provide roof control expertise. Joseph R. O’Donnell, of the Alabama MSHA office, will also serve on the team. The final three team members are Joseph C. Zelanko, Michael Gauna and Thomas A. Morley, all of MSHA’s Office of Technical Support, who will assist.

In recent years, MSHA has faced a number of challenges, including three major mining accidents in 2006. Those include a January 2006 explosion in the Sago Mine in Sago, West Virginia that trapped 13 miners for nearly two days. Only one of them survived.

That same month, a fire at the Aracoma Alma Mine in Melville, West Virginia poured smoke into the miner’s escape route, killing two people. In May 2006, a methane explosion at the Darby Mine No. 1 in Kentucky killed five workers.

The U.S. is not alone in experiencing mine tragedies. On August 17, a mine in Eastern China was flooded when a nearby dike on the Wen River burst. A total of 181 miners were trapped and presumed dead.