Rescuers Killed in Utah Mine

The situation in the Utah coal mine goes from bad to worse:

HUNTINGTON, Utah (AP)—A disastrous cave-in Thursday night killed a rescue worker and injured eight others who were trying to tunnel through rubble to reach six trapped miners, authorities said.

It was a shocking setback on the 11th day of the effort to find miners who have been confined at least 1,500 feet below ground at the Crandall Canyon mine. It's unknown whether the six are alive or dead.

"All rescue workers have been evacuated from the mine. Nine rescue workers were injured in the accident. One of those suffered fatal injuries," said Dirk Fillpot, a spokesman for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

One rescue worker was in very serious condition at Castleview Hospital, and two were in serious condition there, said Jeff Manley, hospital chief executive.

At least one rescue worker was flown from the Crandall Canyon mine to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, said Jess Gomez, a spokesman for Salt Lake City's LDS Hospital, which dispatches medical helicopters in Utah.

Officials said the cave-in was caused by a mountain bump, which commonly refers to pressure inside the mine that shoots coal from the walls with great force. Seismologists say such an event caused the Aug. 6 cave-in that trapped six men inside the central Utah mine. Thursday's bump occurred about 8:30 p.m. EDT.

We forget how dangerous it is for the people that work to get the coal out of the ground to feed the power plants that turn our lights on.