HUNTINGTON, Utah -- A disastrous cave-in Thursday night killed three rescue workers and injured at least six others who were trying to tunnel through rubble to reach trapped miners, authorities said. Mining officials were considering whether to suspend the rescue effort.
It was a shocking setback on the 11th day of the effort to find six miners who have been confined at least 1,500 feet below ground at the Crandall Canyon mine. It's unknown if the six are alive or dead.
Six of the injured were taken to Castleview Hospital in Price. One died there, one was airlifted to a Salt Lake City hospital, one was released and three were being treated, said Jeff Manley, the hospital's chief executive.
The second dead worker passed away at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, said hospital spokeswoman Janet Frank. Another worker there was in critical condition with head trauma but was alert, she said.
The third death was confirmed by Rich Kulczewski, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Labor, but additional details were not immediately available.
...Authorities said the cave-in was caused by a mountain bump, which commonly refers to pressure inside the mine that shoots coal from the walls with great force. Seismologists say such an event caused the Aug. 6 cave-in that trapped six men inside the central Utah mine.
Thursday's bump at 8:39 p.m. showed up as a magnitude 1.6 seismic event at University of Utah seismograph stations in Salt Lake City, said university spokesman Lee Siegel.
Family members of miners, many in tears, gathered at the mine's front entrance looking for news.
The fate of the six miners trapped during the August 6 cave-in is still unknown.
While there is a glimmer of hope that by some miracle they'll be found alive, there are now three confirmed deaths at the Crandall Canyon mine.
When I heard about the deaths of these men and the many injured during the rescue attempt, my heart sank.
Is there no end to this tragedy?
My prayers are with the miners and their families.
_______________________
UPDATE: The underground search has been suspended indefinitely.
Susana Salcido sobbed when told Friday that the search for her cousin Manuel Sanchez and the other miners had been suspended indefinitely.
"Yesterday we were hopeful after learning that they had heard noises (inside the rubble)," said Salcido, who lives in Sanchez's home town of Nuevo Casas Grandes.
"We never imagined that instead of good news we would hear about another tragedy," she added, referring to the killed rescuers.
Even so, she said she is not ready to lose hope.
"All we can do now is pray for a miracle," Salcido said.
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