west virginia

12 killed in West Virginia mine blast; more trapped

MONTCOAL, W.Va. — An explosion rocked a remote coal mine with a history of safety problems Monday, killing 12 workers and trapping others thousands of feet underground.

Though the cause of the blast was not known, Massey Energy’s sprawling Upper Big Branch mine has a history of violations for not properly ventilating highly combustible methane gas, safety officials said.

Nine miners were leaving on a vehicle that takes them in and out of the long shaft, when a crew ahead of the them felt a blast of air and went back to investigate, said Kevin Stricklin, an administrator for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

They found nine workers, seven of whom were dead. Two others were injured. Two other nine-person crews and a safety inspector who had been working alone were believed trapped, perhaps about a mile and a half underground, said Stricklin.

MSHA officials didn’t yet know what caused the blast, but federal records say the Eagle coal seam 30 miles south of Charleston releases up to 2 million cubic feet of methane gas into the mine every 24 hours, which is a large amount, said Dennis O’Dell, health and safety director for the United Mine Workers labor union.

In 2006, 12 miners died in a methane explosion at the Sago Mine in West Virginia.

In the past year, federal inspectors have cited Massey and fined the company more than $382,000 for repeated, serious violations involving its ventilation plan and equipment at the mine run by subsidiary Performance Coal.

The mine is located in a swath of Raleigh and Boone counties that includes a string of mine operations in the heart of coal country.

“If you’re from here, you’re part of a coal-mining family,” Grace Lafferty of nearby Harper told the Charleston Gazette. The mine has about 200 employees, most working underground.

A bulk of the coal is removed with a machine called a longwall miner. Hydraulic roof supports shield the miners and equipment as the machines cut deeper into the mountain, with the roof in the mined-out areas caving in by design after workers move on, according to Massey’s Web site.

Massey Energy ranks among the nation’s top five coal producers and is among the industry’s most profitable. The MSHA fined Massey a then-record $1.5 million for 25 violations that inspectors concluded contributed to the deaths of two miners trapped in a fire at a different mine in January 2006.

Rajasthan Tourism Temptations for Umaid Bhawan Palace

Rajasthan, one of those beautiful states in India. Rajasthan is a popular tourist destination in India. Rajasthan is a premier vacation destination known for a variety of attractions ranging from historical monuments to wildlife sanctuaries, to desert lakes.

There are several interesting places in the state dotted with more compelling attractions. It’s like Mehrangarh Fort, Fort Museum, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Sardar Market, balm and Lake Palace, Jaswant Thad, Mandore Gardens, etc are very fascinating attractions in the city of Tours in Jodhpur, the blue city in India and also known as the Sun. The state is globally famous for its unique cultural and geographical conditions. Desert, hills, sand dunes, forests, flora and fauna, etc are geographical features in the state. Unique culture and tradition in the state makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

Fairs and Festivals in Rajasthan Tourism glory does not end here, the state is also known for a number of fairs and festivals has made a special niche in the hearts of the people who participated in them. Fairs and festivals like Pushkar Fair Brij Festival, Gangaur Festival Nagaur Fair Camel Festival, Mewar Festival are some of the events that will show you the real picture of Rajasthan.
Cities like Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Mandawa, etc. are worth visiting tourist destinations in the state. These towns have many tempting attractions to offer visitors. Jaipur, the state capital and one of the most popular destinations Golden Triangle Tours in northern India.

About Author: -
Rupesh Kumar is an eminent an analyst and writer in Travel & Tourism related topics. He has written many books on tour guide for Rajasthan Tours Packages and Tourism Rajasthan,.
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NCAA Championship Game 2010

NCAA Finals 2010 | NCAA Basketball Final | Espn | Butler University | NCAA Final Game Time
The Butler Bulldogs vs Duke Blue Devils 2010 NCAA final, today at Lucal Oil Stadium. Matt Howard Butler Center is included in the starting lineup. Howard has recovered from a concussion he suffered against Michigan State in the semifinals. As stated by a physician, Howard remains asymptomatic, so he will be fit to play.

NCAA Final Four 2010 News: Final Four lists. Will only that you do not know that Final Four games are scheduled for 3 April 2010. Final Four 2010 NCAA Final Four schedule update. Here we are in the Final Four 2010th So great that always makes the team complex.

NCAA Championships 2010 NCAA finals Game play. Final Four 2010 game will be the biggest games in the beginning of April. Will Michigan State into the finals? What about Duke that has not happened here in 2004? Can butler live to the expectations of many? Could West Virginia’s defensive strategies will win? The Final Four games will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can enjoy the fantastic in the Final Four 2010th

NCAA Championship Game 2010 Live Here

Alamo Bowl Score,Alamo Bowl 2010

TrendPK.com Alamo Bowl Score,Alamo Bowl 2010:The Alamo Bowl football game took place yesterday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This is the first time that the game was played in January, normally the game is played in December.
The Alamo Bowl featured the Michigan State Spartans and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. [...]

Makayla Sitton

TrendPK.com Makayla Sitton:A man accused of killing four relatives at a Thanksgiving dinner was captured at a motel in the Florida Keys where police said he had eluded authorities for about a month by checking in under a fake name and address, and hiding his car with a cover.
Paul Merhige, 35, was [...]

Michigan vs Michigan State football 2009

Michigan vs Michigan State football 2009, t’s that time again where the Michigan Spartans go head to head with their rivals Michigan Wolverines at the Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan .

With kick off at noon, and a high chance of a downpour, we should be in for a very interesting game! After a season which was good for one half of Michigan, and not so good for the other half we have seen one side getting the perfect coach, with the other rebuilding the team after going through a patch with lots of transfers and a freshman QB. One side was about to claim best team in the state while the other was going to have to give up it’s title belt.

The Spartan fans will be looking closey at the stats, and one that stands out is that they have not won back to back games in this series in 42 years.

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Michigan vs Michigan State football 2009 was first posted on October 3, 2009 at 11:03 pm.