Salvation Army Called in Amid Efforts to Save Trapped Utah Miners
One of the largest Christian organizations in the country is meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the families and rescuers of the trapped Utah miners as they anxiously await news on the status of their loved ones.
The Salvation Army has sent an Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) team from Salt Lake City to Huntington, Utah., about 140 miles south of the Utah capital.
The emergency disaster services vehicle, called a canteen, began providing breakfast, lunch and dinner on Thursday to about 100 people each day. Salvation Army says it will continue to serve throughout the rescue process.
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Officials on scene of the mining disaster had requested assistance from The Salvation Army to provide their services to the remote location, 10 miles outside of Huntington, when it became apparent that the rescue was going to take longer than originally expected.
Six miners have been trapped since Monday when the mine they were working in collapsed before dawn. It has not yet been confirmed what caused the mine's collapsed although the CEO of Murray Energy Corp., Robert Murray, asserts that a magnitude-3.9 earthquake caused the disaster.
However, seismologists and geophysicists say they cannot confirm that the collapse was caused by an earthquake. Rather, experts are saying that the seismic activity measured could have resulted from the mine's collapse instead of the other way around.
Nearly one week later, rescuers still have not heard word on the status of the miners. A microphone was successfully lowered into the mine cavity where the six workers are believed to be trapped but no sound was heard, said officials early Friday according to The Associated Press.
"The fact that we have not picked up any sound I believe should not be interpreted as bad news," Murray said, according to CNN. "There could be a number of factors as to why sounds in there might not be picked up, and I wouldn't look at it as good or bad news," he said.
In addition, rescuers gave encouraging news Friday that an air sample test showed the air quality in the cavity to be good and that the miners could breathe freely without concern, according to AP.
Another bigger bore hole is currently being drilled and is expected to reach the cavity by late Friday or early Saturday, said Richard Stickler, assistant secretary of the Department of Labor for mine safety and health, according to CNN. Stickler said the rescuers hope to put a TV camera, and deliver food and water through the hole to find the miners.
The miners are said to have a week's worth of water, their packed lunches, a long-lasting flashlight each, and fresh air to stay alive.
The mining company has not released the names of the six miners, but The Associated Press confirmed five identities – Carlos Payan, Don Erickson, Kerry Allred, Manuel Sanchez and Brandon Phillips.
The men's families are said to be praying for their survival.
Christians are being asked to pray for the six trapped miners in Utah and for their distressed families.
