HOLMES MILL, Ky., May 20 (AP) — An explosion in an eastern Kentucky coal mine killed five miners early Saturday, while a sixth miner walked away from the blast, which sprayed rock and mud onto an office building 100 yards from the tunnel's entrance, Gov. Ernie Fletcher said.þþThe cause of the explosion, which occurred around 1 a.m. at the Darby Mine No. 1 in Harlan County, was not immediately known. But Mr. Fletcher, who was at the scene, said preliminary evidence suggested that methane might have leaked from a sealed-off portion of the mine, mixed with oxygen and ignited.þþThe five miners, who were part of a maintenance shift, were found about 3,000 feet into the mine, said Ray McKinney of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.þþThe governor said some of the miners had donned breathing devices after the explosion and tried to climb to safety. Federal investigators said four of the victims were found close together but could not confirm whether they had used breathing devices.þþThe only survivor, Paul Ledford, was closer to the mine entrance when the explosion occurred, Mr. Fletcher said. Mr. Ledford was treated at Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, Va., and released. He had burns on his face and chest, said his brother, Jeff Ledford.þþThe governor said he had contacted the families of the killed workers. ÿThey want answers — how, why, what caused it — that will help them deal with it a little more,ÿ Mr. Fletcher said.þþRelatives of the miners had gathered before dawn at the nearby Cloverfork Missionary Baptist Church to await news. State and federal mine officials informed the family members of the deaths, said Mike Blair, the church's pastor.þþÿThere's just a lot of heartbroken people,ÿ he said.þþThe authorities identified the victims as Amon Brock, 51, of Closplint; Jimmy D. Lee, 33, of Wallins Creek; Roy Middleton, 35, of Evarts; George William Petra, 49, of Kenvir; and Paris Thomas Jr., 53, also of Evarts.þþThe mine, about 250 miles southeast of Louisville in a mountainous area near the Virginia border, has been operated by Kentucky Darby LLC since May 2001. Since then, the mine has had 10 injuries and no deaths, according to statistics from the mine safety administration.þþA man who answered the phone at a Kentucky Darby office declined to comment, saying the company was too busy. þþThe mine safety administration said the deaths on Saturday had raised the national death toll from coal mining accidents to 31 this year, with 10 of the deaths in Kentucky.þþLast week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee unanimously backed a bill to make coal mining safer. The measure was put together by Senators Michael B. Enzi, Republican of Wyoming, and Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts.þþThe legislation would require miners to have at least two hours of oxygen available instead of one as under the current policy. It also would require mine operators to store extra oxygen packs along escape routes.þþ
Source: NY Times
