The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-29
EIGHT PINEVILLE
MINERS RESCUED
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fore removal to a Pineville hospi-
| tai.
All of the rescued men were un-
conscious and several physicians
were on hand to help administer
medical aid.
The II men were found together
in the "three, LETT butt entry, an
artery leading off the main CORR
dor and about 300 feet closer to
the mine entrance than they had
been expected.
Ambrose Fish, an engineer, said
conditions around that area were
better than had been anticipated
and that the surviving members OF
the group had been able to seal
themselves off from poisonous
fumes.
Rescue workers indicated they
might encounter the remaining
miners within a matter OF hours,
or even less.
Two physicians, DR.. c. B. Stacy
and Dr.. Adam Stacy, both OF Pine
Vile. were admitted to the tunnel
this afternoon to render medical
| attention to the rescued men.
Other physicians and several am
balances stood by to await the re-
moval Of others trapped inside the
two and one-haf mile long tunnel.
The nine men were found alive
about 2 pm. Central Standard
Time, more than So hours after an
explosion wrecked the mine Wed
nesday morning and sealed in the
80 or more men.
The discovery. made a few
minutes after volunteer firefighters
had extinguished a seven-hour fire
barring their path, spurred the
rescue crews in their efforts to
reach an estimated 81 more other
men trapped by the explosion Wed
nesday morning.
There was no immediate indica-
ton whether the remainder of the
group was alive, but reports from
the rescue workers in the tunnel
said they had discovered another
fire ahead OF them.
Doctors, summoned to the scene
from Pineville, Middlesboro and
other nearby towns, were taken In
to the mine entrance to provide
first aid to the rescued men on
their way out.
Arrangements we're completed to
send the rescued men to hospitals
in Pineville and other towns, ID
necessary. Every available ambu-
lance in Bell and adjoining Harlan
county was called in for the emer'
gency. Officials said "a whdk Re
string OF ambulance" and doctors
were on their way to the mine.
Discovery of the men still alive
sent a wave Of excitement through
this Cumberland mountain area
which exceeded anything that vete-
ran miners ever saw before. Hope
had been given up by most OF
observers yesterday that any OF
the trapped men would be found
alive.
Early reports from the rescue
workers failed to describe the ply
steal condition ct any Of the nine
men.
Scores Of men, women and chill
dren, many Of them relatives who
had kept a vigil near the mine
entrance since Wednesday, were
Outside the roped Oft area when q
request from the tunnel was sem
up at 2 p. m. for two doctors and
an ambulance.
A few minutes later came word
that nine of the men had beer
found alive.
An estimated 300 volunteer fire
fighters, recruited from Bell anc
adjoining Harlan county, were or
hand to fight series OF fires
which have hampered rescue ef
forts since the work first started
The biggest and most intense
blaze roared for more than sever
hours today before it was ex
tiguist1ed. Then the rescue squad:
reported still another blaze hae
been sighted ahead of them. L
was still burning when the nine
trapped men were found.
The explosion. described as one
of the worst ever experienced ir
this area, scattered rocks, timber
and other debris in the path O.
rescue crews. Some sections O
the tunnel were reported danger
GUS until overhead rocks and Goa
veins were braced to prevent theil
falling.
Experienced miners in the res
cue crews said the explosion wa
so violent they never expected tt
find any Of the men alive. A
Washington, the United Min,
Workers headquarters said earle,
today there is not chance" thai
any OF the men would be tound
alive"
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