Coal miners trapped in West Virginia mine

January 2, 2006

At approximately 6-6:30 am EST, the Sago coal mine, near Buckhannon, experienced an explosion.

6 miners escaped shortly after the explosion, but 13 miners are still trapped in the mine, almost one mile underground, where methane gas is accumulating, making rescue efforts difficult.

Nearby homes have been evacuated due to the high levels of methane gas, and fans are being used to help disperse the gas.

At this time it is unclear what has caused this explosion.

The mine is owned by International Coal Group Inc.