[DRB]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180507,00.html

In a stunning and heartbreaking reversal, family members were told early Wednesday that 11 of 12 trapped coal miners found were dead — three hours after they began celebrating news that they were alive.

The devastating new information shocked and angered family members, who had rejoiced with Gov. Joe Manchin hours earlier when a rumor began to spread that the miners were alive. Rescue crews found the first victim, dead, earlier Tuesday evening.

Its a horrible version of the rumor game....

The news spread after people overheard cell phone calls, he said.

In reality, rescuers had only confirmed finding 12 miners and were checking their vital signs. At least two family members in the church said they received cell phone calls from a mine foreman.

 

[Jeremy R]

They did not say "Simon says."


That whole story is horrible.
You knew how it was gonna end, but all those family members were trying their best to be hopeful.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

With due respect to the miners and their families, it's how the real world works.

 

[binary visions]

I have to agree. It's a horrible thing, of course, but "rumors" of something this important should not be believed.

My sympathies to the families, though...

 

[Jeremy R]

Oh man, this story gets worse:


"But late Tuesday night, families began streaming out of the church, yelling "They're alive!" The church's bells began ringing and families embraced, as politicians proclaimed word of the apparent rescue a miracle.

As an ambulance drove away from the mine carrying what families believed was the first survivor, they applauded, not yet knowing there were no others."

 

[Westy]

Stupid fact of the day. During WWII coal production was extremely important to the war effor and coal miners had a higher casualty/death rate than any branch of the military.

 

[DRB]

And a little worse

Hatfield said he knew within 20 minutes that an error had been made and that not all 12 were alive, but said he did not inform jubilant family members.

"We couldn't correct the information without knowing more about it," he told reporters. "Let's put this in perspective -- who do we tell not to celebrate? All I knew is, there weren't 12 people that were alive. It was somewhere between 12 and zero."

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Stupid fact of the day. During WWII coal production was extremely important to the war effor and coal miners had a higher casualty/death rate than any branch of the military.

Source, please?

 

[Westy]

Source, please?

I think it was a documentary on the History channel about mining.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Mining has always been a dangerous job.

 

[TreeSaw]

With due respect to the miners and their families, it's how the real world works.

Unfortunately, I have to agree. A horrible situation made worse!

 

[Velocity Girl]

When I heard the report on the radio yesterday all I could think was that they still hadn't been evacuated so there was still the chance that they could die before that happened and that everyone who was celebrating could be grieving just hours later (or be the family of the one man who was said to already be dead).

Such a terrible situation, like a game of "Telephone" gone horribly wrong.

 

[blt2ride]

It's such a terrible story. On the 10 o'clock news it was reported that all, but one, of the miners were still alive. However, when I woke up this morning, I heard that all of the miners had passed away--I was shocked. Not too sure how incorrect information was reported, but the media ran with the story that everyone was still alive.

You have to really feel for the family members. Imagine being told that your loved ones were okay, only find out 3 hours later that they had all passed...

 

[CHOP]

Yeah I stayed up late last night watching this. They were interviewing mining employees, mining supervisors, safety inspectors, and family members. All were basically saying that they expected the 12 survivors to ride out on those rail cars at any minute. Familes were being told that the survivors were in good enough health that they were going to bring them by the church for them to see them. Once the first ambulance left the mine and went straight to the hospital I had a feeling that everything wasn't ok. I found it hard to believe that there was any survivors when they were checking the air and kept finding that the levels of carbon monoxide was way up in the area that the miners were to believed to be. I feel asleep before the bad news broke. Sad story for sure.