 |
|
|
 News Around the Republic of Mexico | February 2006 
Rescue Workers Desperately Try to Free 65 Workers Trapped in Mexican Coal Mine
 Olga R. Rodriguez - Associated Press
| | A woman weeps as she embraces a miner after a gas buildup in a coal mine triggered a pre-dawn explosion in the town of San Juan de Sabinas. (AP) |
San Juan De Sabinas, Mexico – Rescue workers burrowed through debris clogging a Mexican coal mine early Monday, trying to free 65 miners trapped for more than a day by a gas explosion. Families of the miners said they were growing desperate as time passed.
The miners were carrying only six hours of oxygen with them when the explosion happened early Sunday, and officials said it was unclear whether they had access to fresh air.
Rescue teams worked around the clock to reach the trapped workers, who were located one to three miles from the mine's entrance. But they have not yet made any contact with those trapped at the mine near San Juan de Sabinas, 85 miles southwest of Eagle Pass, Texas.
Sergio Robles, director of Coahuila state's emergency services, said rescue efforts were slowed by the presence of toxic gases, including carbon monoxide.
When asked if officials believed the miners survived the explosion, Robles said: “It would be difficult because of the presence of gas. But we are holding out hope of finding someone alive.”
He said rescue officials had advanced up to 400 yards into the mine after more than 24 hours, but it was unclear when they would reach the miners. The explosion occurred about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.
Several other workers who were near the mine's entrance at the time of the explosion were treated for broken bones and burns, but they were able to escape.
Family members held an all-night vigil at the site, huddling near bonfires and wrapped in blankets to protect against the bitter cold. Some pitched tents, while others slept on small cots or upright in plastic chairs. As the sun rose Monday, they sipped hot coffee and ate cookies and sandwiches offered by a local Catholic charity group.
Officials were keeping people back from the rescue site.
“What we want is for them to tell us what is happening and if they have advanced or not,” said Francisco Ordonez, 41, whose 23-year-old brother, Jose Alfredo Ordonez, and a cousin were still trapped in the mine. “People are starting to get desperate.”
Juan Rebolledo, vice president of international affairs for mine owner Grupo Mexico, said oxygen tanks were scattered throughout the site, but it was impossible to know if the trapped miners had access to any of them.
Coahuila Gov. Humberto Moreira Valdes, who was overseeing the rescue operation, told the Televisa network that the mine's ventilation system was still working.
Rebolledo said several rescue teams were taking turns carefully removing debris that had clogged the steep shaft.
“It's slow work because of the quantity of debris,” he said.
Anxious relatives tried to hang on to hope.
“We have hope that they are alive because they tell us that they have fans working” to ventilate the mine, said Olivia Camarillo, 50, who waited for news about her 27-year-old son.
Norma Vitela heard about the explosion on the radio and came to find out what happened to her husband, 47-year-old Jose Angel Guzman. A father of four, Guzman has worked in the mine for 16 years, earning $76 a week.
“Now we are waiting for a miracle from God,” she said.
Vitela said her husband had mentioned previously that there were problems with gas in the mine, but he could not afford to quit.
National Miners' Union spokeswoman Consuelo Aguilar said there had been concern over safety conditions in Grupo Mexico mines.
“We have pressured for better safety conditions as well as for better pay at the mines,” she said.
She called for an investigation to determine the cause of the accident and the responsibility of any company officials.
Rebolledo said safety conditions at the mine met Mexican government requirements as well as international standards.
“We follow all the best safety procedures, but accidents can always happen,” Rebolledo said.
The company discusses safety conditions with the union in annual meetings and there has been no major disagreement on the issue, he said.
Pedro Camarillo, a federal labor official who is not related to Olivia Camarillo, told reporters during a news conference at the site that officials found nothing unusual during a routine evaluation Feb. 7.
As well as mining coal, Grupo Mexico is the world's third-largest copper producer, with operations in Mexico, Peru, and the United States.
There have been various fatal mining accidents in Coahuila. The worst was in 1969, when more than 153 miners were killed in a pit at the village of Barroteran.
Associated Press reporter Ioan Grillo in Mexico City contributed to this report. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us