Marine
07-25-2002, 6:24am
SOMERSET, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Threatened by rising water, a crew of nine coal miners is trapped following a mine collapse in southwestern Pennsylvania, officials said early Thursday.
The collapse was reported just before 10 p.m. ET Wednesday and happened about 8,000 feet from the mine's entrance and about 300 feet underground, according to a statement from the Pennsylvania State Police.
"We got a call that there was a collapse and flooding" at the Quecreek Mine about five or six miles north of Somerset, said Pennsylvania State Trooper David Holtzman.
The fate of the miners was not immediately known, according to the police statement.
Two crews of miners were working at the time of the collapse.
"One crew safely exited the mine," the police statement said. "A second crew consisting of nine members [has] not been heard from since immediately following the incident."
A deep mine rescue team has been called in from Indiana, Pennsylvania, according to Ron Gindlesperger Jr. with the Somerset County 911 center.
In addition, state and federal agencies are on the scene along with emergency officials.
The Quecreek Mine is operated by the Black Wolf Coal Company.
Found here (http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/25/mine.accident/index.html)
God Speed to them.
The collapse was reported just before 10 p.m. ET Wednesday and happened about 8,000 feet from the mine's entrance and about 300 feet underground, according to a statement from the Pennsylvania State Police.
"We got a call that there was a collapse and flooding" at the Quecreek Mine about five or six miles north of Somerset, said Pennsylvania State Trooper David Holtzman.
The fate of the miners was not immediately known, according to the police statement.
Two crews of miners were working at the time of the collapse.
"One crew safely exited the mine," the police statement said. "A second crew consisting of nine members [has] not been heard from since immediately following the incident."
A deep mine rescue team has been called in from Indiana, Pennsylvania, according to Ron Gindlesperger Jr. with the Somerset County 911 center.
In addition, state and federal agencies are on the scene along with emergency officials.
The Quecreek Mine is operated by the Black Wolf Coal Company.
Found here (http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/25/mine.accident/index.html)
God Speed to them.