Jan. 30, 2006 - 20:18 MST

SHAME

If some have it, why can't they all ? Buried way back in mid paper in today's Rocky Mountain News section called "World Briefing" is a short item. Herewith in full:

MINERS WHO TOOK REFUGE FROM FIRE DISCOVERED SAFE

SASKATCHEWAN -- "Fire broke out Sunday in a mine in central Canada, forcing about 70 miners trapped underground to retreat to emergency rooms with oxygen and supplies, a mine official said."

"Late Sunday, a rescue team reached one of the rooms, made sure everyone was safe, then closed them back inside until the air inside the mine could be cleared of toxic gases, said Marshall Hmailton, a spokesman for Mosaic Company, the Minneapolis-based firm that operates the potash mine."

"In those refuge stations, they can seal themselves off, and there's oxygen, food and water," Hamilton told CBC Radio, "And they can stay in there for at least 36 hours."

"Potash is a pinkish-grey mineral that is used in the production of agricultural fertilizer."

++++++++++++++++++++++

Made me wonder a bit why the miners weren't taken out immediately, but then I got to thinking of the rescue team trying to fit 70 men into rescue apparatus which sustained the crew while they made the dash gave me an idea of why they wanted to clear the mine before they brought the men out.

What I would like to know, is that Canada's law of mine operation ? I see that the company is MInneapolis-based. Or is Mosaic Company just ahead of the times here in our country ?

And then another thing comes to mind, will this go unnoticed by our administration and corporations and "business as usual" will keep killing persons ?

Seems to me that even Mosaic could have some means of communication with trapped miners, I am sure the state of the art of communication can extend into mines. Of course that is minor one can see, the main thing is to provide places to go to be safe until rescue reaches the people.

To the mine owners who have allowed people to die due to the lack of such things, fie, for SHAME . . . . . . . . . . . .

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