Anker West Virginia Mining Co., Inc.
Wolf Run Mining Company
Sago Mine Explosion
Tallmansville, Upshur County, West Virginia
January 2, 2006
No. Killed - 12
Sago Miners Memorial Location: 39° 9.159′ N, 80° 2.625′ W.
Marker is in Philippi, West Virginia, in Barbour County. Marker is at the intersection of Barbour County Highway (U.S. 119) and North Main Street, on the right when traveling north on Barbour County Highway, in Blue and Gray Park.
Photographed by Pete Skillman
Source: The Historical Marker Database
See more mine disaster markers, memorials, and monuments.
This page contains links related to the disaster which occurred at the Sago Mine, Tallmansville, West Virginia, owned by the International Coal Group.
Twenty-nine coal miners went underground
at International Coal Group's Sago Mine near
Buckhannon in Upshur County, West Virginia,
on the morning of January 2, 2006.
At
6:26 a.m., a methane ignition in a recently
sealed area of the mine triggered an explosion
that blew out the seals and propelled smoke,
dust, debris and lethal carbon monoxide into
the working sections of the mine. One miner
was killed by the blast. Sixteen escaped.
Twelve were unable to escape and retreated to
await rescue behind a curtain at the face of the
Two Left section.
Approximately 41 hours later, under the direction of Kevin G. Stricklin, Acting Administrator for MSHA, mine rescuers entered the mine and found the trapped miners. As a result of this extended delay, all but one, Randal McCloy Jr., had succumbed from carbon monoxide asphyxiation.
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