MSHA -- Genwall Resources - Crandall Canyon Mine Rescue Effort Updates Page

Genwal Resources Inc
Crandall Canyon Mine
Mine ID: 4201715

CHRONOLOGY OF UPDATES

Thursday, August 30, 9 a.m. EDT

MSHA Appoints Team to Investigate Crandall Canyon Mine Accident

ARLINGTON, Va. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today announced the appointment of a team to investigate the accident at the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah. A ground failure trapped six miners on August 6. See Press Release

Sunday, August 26, 5 p.m. EDT

Statement on Crandall Canyon Mine by MSHA Assistant Secretary Richard E. Stickler

ARLINGTON, Va. - Richard E. Stickler, assistant secretary of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued the following statement today on Crandall Canyon Mine:

"Unfortunately, borehole number six did not provide us with conclusive evidence of the fate of the six trapped miners. However, we have identified another location to drill that may provide us additional details as to what may have happened to the miners. We are pleased that Mr. Murray has agreed to drill this additional borehole."

Saturday, August 25, 8 p.m. EDT
The # 6 borehole punched through at around 6:02 p.m. EDT. No void space is believed to have been detected.

Saturday, August 25, 2 p.m. EDT
The #6 borehole has reached a depth of 1,623 feet, with approximately 160 feet to go before the drill punches through. Monitors were installed at crosscut #107, and no seismic events in this area were detected.

Thursday, August 23, 12 p.m. EDT
The drill has been situated at the #6 drill pad site. Drilling is expected to begin in a few hours. The drill will intersect the mine in the #1 entry, halfway between the #138 and #139 crosscuts. A camera dropped down the # 5 borehole, which punched through yesterday at approximately 10:30 a.m. EDT, revealed no discernable images.

Friday, August 17, 8 a.m. EDT
At approximately 8:39 p.m. EDT Thursday night, a significant bounce occurred at the mine. Three rescue workers are confirmed dead, including one MSHA inspector. Six others remain hospitalized. At this time, all rescue efforts have been suspended.

Thursday, August 16, 1 p.m. EDT
Workers continue to draw air samples from borehole #1, and are pumping compressed air into the mine through borehole #2. Recent air samples drawn from borehole #3 indicate 16.8 percent oxygen and 21 parts per million carbon monoxide. Seismic activity occurred Wednesday night around 11 p.m. EDT, forcing rescue workers to temporarily suspend efforts. The continuous miner has advanced approximately 826 feet into the mine. The drill rig has been set in place for bore hole #4, and drilling will begin soon. Sixty-five people are currently underground, including 7 MSHA employees.

Wednesday, August 15, 8 p.m. EDT
The third borehole intersected the mine at 12:11 p.m. EDT. A microphone was placed into the hole but no sounds were detected. Workers are still injecting compressed air into the mine through the second borehole. Three bounces occurred at 1:15 p.m. EDT, 1:30 p.m. EDT and 1:40 p.m. EDT. No injuries resulted from the bounces. Provisions for a fourth borehole are currently underway. There are 45 people underground including, 3 from MSHA.

Wednesday, August 15, Noon EDT
Workers began drilling a third borehole at approximately 10:30 p.m. EDT, Monday night. They have successfully drilled more than 1,400 feet. There was another significant bump overnight, but all workers were accounted for and are fine. The continuous mining machine, which suspended activity overnight due to broken cutter head shafts, is currently operational. There are 36 mine rescue personnel underground, including six MSHA employees.

Monday, August 13, 8 p.m. EDT
At 5:15 p.m. EDT, the camera remains at the bottom of the original 8-inch borehole. Workers currently are set up at the site for the third borehole; drilling of the second 8-inch borehole has not yet commenced. The continuous mining machine has finished activity in the 125 crosscut and has resumed cleanup in the #1 entry inby crosscut 124. There are 31 mine rescue personnel underground, including two MSHA employees.

Sunday, August 12, 12 p.m. EDT
On Saturday night, at 11:06 p.m. EDT, a significant bounce occurred and all rescue workers were withdrawn and accounted for. At 12:54 a.m. EDT Sunday morning, a second bounce occurred. Rescue work continued following each bounce, with a total of 61 rescue workers, including two MSHA inspectors.

Saturday, August 11, 6 p.m. EDT
Rescuers continue to pump air down the 2 1/2 -inch drill hole. The trapped miners are believed to be in an area measuring roughly 475 feet by 260 feet, which extends from the 8-inch bore hole to the working face of the mine. MSHA has transported two rescue capsules to the scene, and the Department of Defense has flown in additional sensory equipment. Approximately 60 rescue workers, including three MSHA inspectors, continue to work underground.

Saturday, August 11, 1 p.m. EDT
At 5:15 a.m. EDT, the 8-inch drill punched through. The drillers believe that they drilled into the entry or crosscut. At 9:47 a.m. EDT, they started lowering the camera into the 8-inch hole. At 10:41 a.m. EDT, the camera reached the top of the coal seam. Rescuers continue to pump air down the 2 1/2 -inch drill hole. Approximately 60 rescue workers, including three MSHA inspectors, are underground.

Friday, August 10, 2:30 p.m. EDT
The 8-inch drill is down 1,444 feet. The continuous mining machine is just inby crosscut # 123. No new bounce activity has occurred since the last update.

Friday, August 10, 11:40 a.m. EDT
The 8-inch drill is down 1,302 feet. The continuous mining machine is presently located at 20' inby Crosscut #123. Fifty-three rescue persons are underground. Small bumps were reported between crosscuts #119 and #120 during this shift.

Friday, August 10, 7 a.m. EDT
The small vertical drill bit punched through to the mine on Thursday night at 11:57 pm EDT. The large rotary drill has reached a depth of 1,016 feet. A microphone was lowered into the cavity through the drill stem, and no human noise was detected.

Thursday, August 9, 9 p.m. EDT
Currently 49 miners are underground conducting rescue work, including 3 MSHA rescue team members. The small vertical drill has reached a depth of 1,700 feet, and is cutting at a rate of 25 feet per hour. The large rotary drill is down to a depth of 660 feet.

Thursday, August 9, 8 p.m. EDT
Currently 49 miners are underground conducting rescue work, including 3 MSHA rescue team members. The small vertical drill has reached a depth of 1,660 feet, and is cutting at a rate of 25 feet per hour. The large rotary drill is down to a depth of 560 feet.

Thursday, August 9, 6:30 p.m. EDT
Currently 40 miners are underground conducting rescue work. Roof supports are set to 10' inby #121 along the ribs, and the continuous mining machine has advanced 45 feet inby the #121 crosscut in the #1 entry. The small vertical drill has reached a depth of 1,620 feet. The large rotary drill has drilled down 462 feet.

Thursday, August 9, 11 a.m. EDT
Currently 39 miners are underground conducting rescue work. The continuous miner began excavating at crosscut #120, #1 entry and advanced to the #121 cross cut. The miner has been backed out so that roof bolts can be installed at this cross cut. The small vertical drill reached a depth of 1440 feet. The large rotary drill that has drilled down 355 feet has temporarily stopped while a directional bit is being installed.

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 7:00 a.m. EDT.
Miners continue to work around the clock to locate the missing miners. Currently 54 miners are underground conducting rescue work. The continuous miner is at crosscut #120, #1 entry, ready to mine. The small vertical drill reached a depth of 760 feet and is moving at 60 feet per hour as of 6 p.m. EDT. The large rotary drill started up around 6 p.m. EDT and is currently at a depth of 20 feet. This afternoon, Assistant Secretary of Labor Richard E. Stickler accompanied two family members of the trapped miners underground for 3-4 hours.

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 1:00 a.m. EDT.
Miners continue to work round the clock to locate the missing miners. They are working 12-hour shifts. Approximately 39 miners are currently working underground and have repaired all ventilation controls, with all outby stoppings by the 119 cross-cut repaired. Drilling from the surface of the mine with a 2-1/2 inch drill has reached roughly 450 feet underground at an approximate rate of 70 feet per hour. A large rotary drill is still being positioned on the drill pad. The continuous mining machine's electrical power cable was damaged from bump material and has been repaired. The trapped miners are believed to be 1,500 feet underground. Ground movement has required rescue efforts inside the mine to slow while additional safety measures are implemented to protect the rescuers. A total of 12 mine rescue teams are available to go underground, with four teams currently on site. Assistant Secretary of Labor Richard E. Stickler is on site to support the rescue and to ensure that all of MSHA's resources are brought to bear in reaching these miners.

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 10:00 a.m. EDT.
Miners continue to work round the clock to locate the missing miners. They are working 12-hour shifts. Approximately 39 miners are currently working underground and have repaired all ventilation controls, with all outby stoppings by the 119 cross-cut repaired. Drilling from the surface of the mine with a 2-inch drill has commenced and reached roughly 450 feet underground at an approximate rate of 70 feet per hour. The trapped miners are believed to be 1,500 feet underground. Ground movement has required rescue efforts inside the mine to slow while additional safety measures are implemented to protect the rescuers. A total of 12 mine rescue teams are available to go underground, with four teams currently on site. Assistant Secretary of Labor Richard E. Stickler is on site to support the rescue and to ensure that all of MSHA's resources are brought to bear in reaching these miners.

Tuesday, Aug. 7, 7:00 p.m. EDT.
Miners continue to work round the clock to locate the missing miners. They are working in 12-hour shifts to rebuild damaged ventilation controls. Approximately 12 miners are currently working underground to repair the ventilation controls, with 45 of 60 stoppings repaired. Ground movement is still present underground. A total of 12 mine rescue teams are available to go underground, with four teams currently on site. Assistant Secretary of Labor Richard E. Stickler has been on site for over 2 hours to support the rescue and to ensure that all of MSHA's resources are brought to bear in reaching these miners.

Tuesday, Aug. 7, 9:30 a.m. EDT.
Miners continue to work round the clock to locate the missing miners. They are working in 12-hour shifts to rebuild damaged ventilation controls. Approximately 22 miners are expected to go underground on dayshift. Equipment moves and equipment preparation are ongoing. A total of 12 mine rescue teams are available to go underground, with four teams currently on site.

Monday, Aug. 6, - 3:30 p.m. EDT.
At about 5:40 a.m. EDT, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration was notified of an accident at the Genwal Resources, Inc.'s Crandall Canyon Mine in Emery County, Utah. A seismic or ground failure event was registered near the location of the mine yesterday morning. There are six miners unaccounted for.

MSHA is coordinating the rescue efforts with the mine operator. Four mine rescue teams are at the mine site and are within about 1,700 feet of where MSHA believes the miners were working. MSHA also has two mine inspectors inside the mine. The area where the miners are believed to have been working is about four miles from the mine entrance. MSHA has three family liaisons at the site.