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Underground 'tours' questioned

In an editorial published in Mine Safety and Health News, owner and managing editor Ellen Smith raised serious questions about the recent media and family "tours" of the Crandall Canyon mine.

Murray Energy Corp. co-owner Robert Murray took a "pool" photographer, camera person and reporter deep into the mine Wednesday for a tour, and has shuttled family members in and out of the site.

"This isn't a tourist location," Smith wrote.

''What did this accomplish, especially if another catastrophic failure or 'seismic event' was to have occurred? What precedent does this set for future rescue operations?

''I have defended the record of this mine from the first hour of this accident. I have defended the industry and the strides it has made since I began covering mine safety and health issues. But I will not defend what I see as high negligence and reckless disregard on the part of MSHA and Mr. Murray for allowing these people into the mine during this very serious rescue operation, and when no one knows why such a catastrophic failure occurred.''

Murray has pointed out that the family members taken into the mine are certified miners.

- Dan Harrie

No nearby mines report quake activity

The great earthquake debate - was it or wasn't it? - continues.

On Thursday, questions were raised about what other mines in the area felt when the 3.9 seismic event occurred early Monday morning.

The answer: Nothing, apparently.

Richard Stickler, head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, says his agency has heard no reports of seismic activity at mines near where the Crandall Canyon mine collapse occurred. If there were an earthquake, he says other mines in the area "probably" would have reported seismic activity or had work stoppages.

John Baza, director of the state Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, echoed those sentiments, saying his department received no reports of seismic activity at nearby mines during the period of the collapse.

But mine company co-owner Robert Murray has his own theory about why none of the other mines reported movement: The "epicenter" of the earthquake was under the Crandall Canyon mine, and the seismic activity only extended a mile or two.

"It didn't reach the other mines," Murray said.

"This is a natural disaster - a natural thing," he added, reiterating that he believes an earthquake caused the mine collapse. "Bounces in the mountain like that don't happen."

Both federal and state seismologists say the mine collapse, not a quake, created the 3.9 event.

- Glen Warchol

Probe will wait til rescue operation ends

Assistant Secretary of Labor and Director of Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Richard Stickler says there will be no MSHA investigation of the Crandall Canyon mine collapse until the rescue operations are concluded. Beginning such a probe now, he says, would be a distraction to both rescue workers and company management.

"We are trying not to interfere," Stickler said.

But when it does commence, the MSHA director says, he expects the investigation to take several months.

Murray says having MSHA regulators in his mine makes him "sleep better" because he knows they'll catch any safety issues that could harm his miners.

"I welcome the inspections," he said. "They are not going to find anything."

- Glen Warchol

Bush offers 'thoughts and prayers'

WASHINGTON - President Bush has offered any assistance needed to help rescue six trapped miners in Utah.

Bush called Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. this week to express his concern for the miners and their families and spoke about the call later at a news event at the Treasury Department.

"I told him our nation's thoughts and prayers are with the miners and their families, and that the federal government will help in any way we can," Bush said.

White House press secretary Tony Snow told The Salt Lake Tribune that he didn't know if Bush would reach out to the families of the missing miners.

"You're still in one of these points where there are rescue efforts going on under very difficult circumstances and right now the important thing is to hope and pray and offer provide any assistance we can," Snow said.

- Thomas Burr