Mining Self Rescuers Recalled

These are the same rescuers worn at SAGO that Randal McCloy said failed the trapped miners.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- A belt-worn breathing device that coal miners count on to save their lives during fires, explosions and entrapments was voluntarily recalled Friday because of a problem with the oxygen starter.

CSE Corp. of Monroeville, Pa., also said it had suspended production of the SR-100, the most popular self-contained self-rescuer unit in U.S. coal mines, while it investigates the problem.

CSE said it is recalling the entire production lot of more than 4,000 units sold to mining companies operating in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Ohio, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico. However, it believes the problem may affect less than 1 percent of those units(LINK)

A serious problem that needs to be addressed. The SR-100 was problematic for sure.