The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Today's Front Page

June 3, 2010

Dangerous gases delay mine teams at Upper Big Branch

By Mannix Porterfield Register-Herald Reporter

Potentially alarming levels of carbon monoxide and volatile methane forced federal and state regulators to retreat Wednesday from the two portals of Upper Big Branch mine, prompting an hours-long delay of an on-site investigation of an explosion that left 29 workers dead two months ago.

One team ventured into the Ellis portal, scene of the April 5 blast, while another crew entered the Upper Big Branch portal around mid-morning.

Each moved some 1,000 feet inside the sprawling coal mine, run by a Massey Energy subsidiary, Performance Coal Co., but could advance no farther after monitors pointed to potentially risky levels of CO and methane.

But by mid-afternoon, bottle samplings indicated there was no danger, so the crews resumed their mission with plans to conduct the investigation for the rest of the week, said Amy Louviere, public affairs director for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

This was the first attempt to re-enter the mine to launch an investigation into the worst mining disaster in four decades.

In a stop at Beckley to visit a new Prospect League baseball field, Gov. Joe Manchin said he is being apprised of all developments, and was aware of the caution the crews took in pulling out of the two Upper Big Branch portals when hand-held monitors suggested a problem with the air.

“We know it was a horrific explosion,” he said. “There was more damage than they anticipated. They were not able to get back to the longwall. We hope the air is good enough. Right now, the debris is just tremendous.”

Manchin pledged his administration to ensuring the utmost safety, not only at coal mines, but in all workplaces across West Virginia.

“We will continue to make it the safest place in the world to work,” he said. “That means every miner and everyone in a working environment. We’re going to make sure that happens.”

Lawmakers plan to return to the Capitol in July interims to resume a special session on education issues, and Manchin left open the door his agenda could be expanded to include new mine safety legislation.

Without elaborating, the governor said, “There’s a good possibility.”

In a statement from its Richmond, Va., corporate headquarters, Massey Energy called the on-site investigation inside UBB “an important step” in ascertaining the cause and source of the explosion.

“To honor the memory of those lost, Massey is committed to finding out the truth about the underlying cause of the accident,” the statement said.

“We continue to call for a fair and independent investigative process.”

Massey said it would release new details in a few days on “our coordinated plan” with state and federal regulators so they can continue their work.

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