Evening star., 1945-12-30
Rescue Crews Battle
Fires and Fatigue in
Search for Il Miners
BY the Associated Press.

PINEvILLE, KY, Dec. 2e.-
Volunteer rescue crews, having
saved eight Of the miners
trapped by an explosion in the
Kentucky Straight Creek coaI
mine near here Wednesday
fought flames, fumes and IA
tlgue tonight in an effort te
reach the 81 or % men still en-
tombed in the burning pit.
A. D. Sisk, director of rescue oper.
ations at the entrance of the BLASTED
mine, said late today he believed il
would be several hours before the
crews, working in teams, could reach
the 1,700-foot side tunnel where the
men are expected to be found.
He said conditions in the mine
where rescue work was halted once
today by a fierce fire, were getting
bad" He and other officials at the
scene declined to speculate on what
hope there was of finding any more
men alive.
Body of Tenth Man Found.
Nine miners were found still living
after being sealed in by the original
explosion and series of serious fires
but the 53-hour ordeal was too much
for one of them who died before he
could be brought to the surface. The
body of tenth was found early to-
day burned almost beyond identifi
cation. ...-
Twenty-one or more men still are
unaccounted for, but hope for then
rescue dimmed considerably about
n1ld-morning when the new fire
the Oath major blaze to hinder the
llte-savlng efforts-drove even the
fre-fghters from the main tunnel
OF the mine for time.
All actual rescue work was halted
as the flames and dangerous fumes
caused what mine bosses called "a
bad situation" The volunteers had
to finally return to the surface. Ap-
peals were made for more rescue
workers to relieve the weary volun-
teers and for more flre-flghting
equipment. Then the battle against
the latest blazing barrier was re-
sumed.
One in Serious Condition.
Albert Bennett, "a, veteran Pine
vile miner, was the man who died
before he could be brought out of
the pit. The identity of the second
victim has not been announced.
Only one of the eight survivors
was reported in serious condition
at the hospital where all were taken.
A log" written in pencil on
wooden board at the spot where the
first nine men were found, told part
of these mems story. 1t said they
harricaded themselves at 1890 am.
Wednesday, two hours after the ex-
plosion, and that they still could
walk about at 11:30 pm. Thursday.
They weres rescued about 2 pm
yesterday.
AS calls went out today for more
rescue workers, George Ward, secre-
tary of the Harlan County Coal
Operators Association, said many ex-
perienced miners were hesitant to
volunteer because there is no pro-
vision to protect their families in
case of accident.
Mr. Ward declared most veteran
miners give little thought to any
danger themselves but do not want
to take chance of leaving their
families without protection. Some
mining companies, he said, pay their
men who do rescue work and guar
antee financial protection for their
families, but most firms feel they
cannot afford this policy.
The mine operators, Mr.. Ward
added, have asked Gov. Simeon VIII
lis to recommend that the 1916
Kentucky Legislature provide State
financed compensation and insur-
ance for mine disaster rescue work.