Sago Mine Survivor Details Miners' Deaths

source: http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060427122809990006&ncid=NWS00010000000001

Besides being heart-wrenching and pretty damned depressing*, there are some elements of this that really bug the shit out of me. The main one is:

The air packs -- referred to in the letter as "rescuers" -- are intended to give each miner about an hour's worth of oxygen while they escape or find a pocket of clean air. But at least four of the devices did not function, McCloy said.

Another thing kinda stayed on my mind, probably due in large part to the fact that it was the last thing mentioned in the article was this:

The Bush administration is reviewing air packs and other safety equipment used in the nation's mines after previously scrapping similar initiatives started by the Clinton administration.

I don't bring that up as a political dig. It's just something that bugs me on a few levels.


Your thoughts?



* - possibly due to other things like suicide threads on a messageboard I frequent and the stuff going on in my life