Sago Report and 12/07/1992

The cause of the explosion at Sago was lightning.

Dennis O'Dell, the labor union's health and safety coordinator,

says lightning was suspected from the beginning. He says a nearly

yearlong investigation ruled out other potential causes.

One miner was killed by the January Second blast and 12 others

were trapped underground for 41 hours. When rescuers reached them,

only one man was still alive. The others died of carbon monoxide

poisoning. (LINK)

I blogged a lot about Sago. Over 30 posts can be found here. One would think working underground that lightning is not a worry. I remember 12/07/1992. The Southmountain mines that is about 5 miles from where I live had a methane explosion killing 8 men. On 06/21/1983 there was an explosion at a Clinchfield mines killing 7 men near McClure Va, near where my uncle lost his life in in a rockfall in 1981. A list of some accidents cam be found here. A memorial page to fallen miners in my area can be found here. I have too many family members listed there. The site also has some pics. Please check it out.

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