Posted on 07/28/2002 6:40:05 AM PDT by Isara
SOMERSET, Pa. –– Rescue workers on Sunday pulled all nine miners one by one from the watery, 240-foot-deep shaft where they had been trapped for three days, a jubilant reward for an effort fraught with one gut-wrenching setback after another.
After three grim days of frantic drilling delayed by broken bits and busted seals, defiant crews – with no signs of life to encourage them since Thursday – bored a giant auger through the ceiling of 4-foot high chamber at 10:16 p.m. Saturday. The breakthrough allowed workers to drop a telephone line to the miners through a small air pipe.
Moments later, rescuers were seen hugging and giving the thumbs-up.
Then the word came from an unidentified, mud-caked rescue worker who shouted up from the pit near where they dropped the communication device: "They're all down there. They're waiting to come up. There's nine of them. We talked to them on the telephone."
The first words from the miners were blunt. "What took you so long?" one of the miners asked, according to a rescuer.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Miners know that they won't be left in the mine without EVERYTHING possible done to resuce them.
Man, I love that quote...
UGH. Don't you realize that the guys saved were (I hate to even say it on this site) lazy union members and environment destroying coal miners at that. (/ sarcasm)
These Reagan Democrat types were run out of party by the Country Club Corporate Wall Streeter supporters of Bush the Elder, Viagra Bobdole, and Bush the Younger. Maybe they can be brought back again by more than a just verbal 'atta boys'.
Democrat Underground... a fanatical website from the opposition... Don't worry, anyone with an "unapproved" view point is branded an infiltrator with sabotage on their mind... You'll be flamed repeatedly, etc., etc... It's almost a rite of passage around here. When you can't argue the facts, "ad hominem", as I always say... That's all it is...
Sun Jul 28, 6:05 AM ET Sipesville Fire Chief Mark Zambanini gives the thumbs up sign as miner Mark Popernack, the ninth and final miner, is rescued from the Quecreek mine early Sunday, July 28, 2002, in Somerset Pa. Nine miners were pulled one-by-one 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.
Miners at the Quecreek Mine embrace July 28,2002 after nine of their co-workers were rescued after being trapped in the mine since late Wednesday. At left is Larry Summerville, and Doug Custer is right. Both men were in the mine at the time of the accident, and escaped by being warned by the team of miners who were trapped.
Are you? After all, you seem to be in a very small minority who seems to think Schweiker exploited the situation.
You didn't see his obvious effort to put himself in front of the cameras as the last miner was coming up?
Considering I live 20 miles from the mine and have seen most of the local coverage from the scene, no, I didn't see any effort at all. As a matter of fact, the continuous refrain from the news people at the scene was "we're waiting to interview the Governor, but he's tied up at......" He very seldom was seen running around the media, which is where you want to be if you are "explioting" the situation.
His obsessive fist-pumping, hugging, hooting and hollaring?
Obsessive? The only person "obsessive" around here is YOU.
I got the feeling from some of the smileless faces looking at him that the miners knew exactly what he was doing.
Now you are hallucinating. I saw nothing of the kind, and only heard tremendous words of praise for him from all involved.
The guy's a politician, right?
Who isn't running for office. And considering the next major elections won't be for another 2 years, I fail to see how this could help him that far down the line.
I nominate Mel Gibson for the roll of Governor!
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