what? and... what?

[thisficklemob]

They were previously saying that twelve miners had survived the cave-in.

Well, someone, somewhere, flipped the numbers. Twelve miners are dead. One is alive, in critical condition.

I understand people are highly agitated in such situations, and I can see how, like in Telephone, information got altered. But how did the mining company not clear

Comments

[evileconboy]

To play devil's advocate, they probably didn't know these stupid rumors were flying out. It was probably some over-eager mine worker who overheard some stuff and blabbed. If anyone, I blame the stupid politicians and the media for hyping the "miracle" that happened instead of getting direct word from this company on whether anything was confirmed.

Now on the other hand, these people were clearly running an unsafe mine. More of this is going to happen as long as energy prices are high and people try to get as much coal out of the ground as fast as possible.

[thisficklemob]

Well, except for this part: "Hatfield said it became clear within 20 minutes that the news was terribly wrong." Hatfield's the mine owner. To me, that sounds like he knew the reports that were flying were wrong. And when even the governor seems to confirm news you know to be false, that's the time to say something, when you have to know that people are misinformed.

More of this is going to happen as long as energy prices are high and people try to get as much coal out of the ground as fast as possible.

And as long as the miners don't have effective collective bargaining that can force them to improve safety. Tiny fines for violations weren't going to make them choose to reduce their profit.

Let's see if public outrage will.

[evileconboy]

How do you tell people to stop celebrating when you're not sure the people are dead yet? And then when you find out, how do you break it to them? Think about being the guy whose job it was to be PR for this mining company. He's got to find a way to go in front of 400 irate West Virginians who are celebrating because some idiot on the rescue team blabbed the wrong information. "Wait people, wait, this is not confirmed, do not get your hopes up?" 3 hours seems like a long time, but let's first find out how long it was that these people were spinning the information as opposed to actually getting the facts straight. As a former EMT I know that no one is ever dead until they are cold and dead, and even rescue workers can't declare people dead, so it might very well have been hours until they knew for certain. And then the question is asked "How do I tell people without 1. getting killed, 2. losing my job?" Personally, I would have bit the bullet on losing my job and told people in person and resigned on the spot

[anonymous]

My grandmother's family traces back about 30 generations in Charleston, West Virginia. I haven't been there since my great-grandmother died, but I still feel a pull towards the coal miners there.

I'm so incredibly sad, and FURIOUS, about this tragedy.

[luna_k]

Er, and that was me just now. *blush*

[thisficklemob]

And you have every right to be. The mining company letting them think there was good news when there wasn't is just monumental insult on top of injury. But somehow that part raises my hackles more. I guess maybe I expect mining companies to let safety take a back seat to profit, but I didn't expect them to let bullshit reign in such an obvious situation. i.e., you might be able to PR your way out of accusations of unsafe conditions before an accident, and maybe even after an accident, but you can't just pretend people are alive when they're not.

{{{hugs}}}

[evileconboy]

There is always a temptation to kill the messenger of bad news. It would have been nice if these people knew the truth sooner, but it would have also been nice if they didn't believe unconfirmed rumors so easily. This is a case of killing the messenger pure and simple.

Be pissed these people are dead. Don't be pissed you thought they were alive at one point. As for me, I knew they were dead the second I heard "coal explosion."