The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #49926   Message #755815
Posted By: katlaughing
28-Jul-02 - 02:36 AM
Thread Name: Pennsylvania mine disaster-MIRACLE!!
Subject: RE: Pennsylvania mine disaster
Looks like one more, now and the last two to come shortly. There's a photo on the main page of the www.drudge.com report with this story:

By Judy Lin
Associated Press Writer
Sunday, July 28, 2002; 2:13 AM


SOMERSET, Pa. –– Rescue workers on Sunday began pulling nine miners 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.

The seventh of nine coal miners emerged around 2:20 a.m.

All nine miners were found alive Saturday night 240 feet underground, and rescuers rushed to pull them from the flooded shaft.

After crews struggled two giant drills for more than 74 frustrating hours without signs of life, Gov. Mark Schweiker appeared before reporters Saturday night and raised his fists over his head.

All nine are alive," he said. "And we believe that all nine are in pretty good shape."

Randy Fogle, 43, of Garrett, was the first to be pulled from the 26-inch wide hole. He had reported feeling "some heart stress" while still in the mine.

Officials identified the next six miners rescued as Harry Mayhugh, Tom Foy, John Unger, John Phillippi, Ron Hileman and Dennis J. Hall.

Officials said they would be able to pull the miners up one at a time at roughly 10- to 15-minute intervals.

© 2002 The Associated Press