Hopes Fade for Rescue of Four Missing Miners in West Virginia

Rescue teams are just a couple of hours away from entering the section of the mine in West Virginia where four men, still on the missing list, were believed to have been during the massive mine explosion on Monday. There isn't much hope of finding them alive, but for the family members of these miners, it's time for some closure.

These teams have already entered the mine, and will soon reach the area where the four miners were at the time of the explosion. A lot depends on the breathing conditions inside the mine. Drilling teams have been at work on the surface, drilling holes to allow noxious gases and carbon monoxide to escape, and make it easier for the rescue teams.

Meanwhile, on the surface, the lengthy list of citations that the company that operates the mine accumulated, has angered Houston industrial accident attorneys and mining safety groups around the country. The company, Massey Energy Corporation, has several violations involving safe ventilation procedures for methane. Methane is found naturally in coal mines. Over the past few years, the Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued hundreds of citations to Massey. This year alone, the company had been given 10 citations, all related to ventilation systems to control methane and other toxic gases. Last year, Massey received more than 50 citations, out of which it chose to appeal 37.

As the NYT reports, there has been increased enforcement of mine safety regulations in recent years, but the benefits of the enforcement have not really trickled down to the workers in the mines. That's because more and more mine companies are choosing to appeal these violations.

It's unfortunate that the 25 miners killed in the West Virginia mine explosion got no chance to appeal their fate.

The Texas work accident lawyers at Schechter McElwee Shaffer & Harris represent injured workers, including construction workers, oil and gas refinery workers, miners and employees in several other industries in the Houston area, and around the state of Texas.