CANDLELIT CHRONICLES: HISTORIC HAUNTS

April 6 213 word count

Back in January, during the 12 Days of Blogging Challenge, we bloggers were asked to discuss the practice of mountain-top removal in mining. As a result of that research, I joined www.ilovemountains.org, and I have kept a wily eye out for mining practices and environmental and human consequences.


Much to my dismay, this morning as I opened the headlines at www.latimes.com I discovered a huge loss of life has occurred in what is being termed "the worst mining disaster in the US in twenty years."





Twenty-five miners are known dead, four are missing, at the Upper Big Branch Mine near Montcoal, West Virginia, thirty miles south of the captial, Charleston. Even though the four are unaccounted for, search was canceled this morning (Tuesday April 6). The only hope now is that they were able to reach any of the safety pockets.





This particular mine is owned by Massey Energy Company, already cited by Federal inspectors a total of 6 different times since Feb. 21 of this year. Massey is reputedly noted for lack of safety protections in place in its mines.





Our thoughts and prayers are with the missing four miners, and the families, loved ones, and friends of those and of the men who have died unnecessarily in this mining explosion.





http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-wva-mine6-2010apr06,0,12433...