Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

On Scene at Mining Rescue

Aired July 29, 2002 - 14:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to turn it over to our Jeff Flock. He's also working the story out there. He's closer to the mine.
How's that community reacting today -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, I'm out here at the drill site, which is off behind me. And I don't know if you can see there's still a lot of activity out here. Maybe I can try to get out of the way and Steve can zoom in down there and see all the folks that have come out here. And of course, we're across the road, so you are going to see some traffic coming by us.

A lot of people have come out here just to see what this was all about because, of course, they've watched it on television, watched this dramatic scene unfold. And members of the community -- miners themselves.

Sir, can I get you to come on over here with me. I know we've got a big old rig coming through here as they pull some of the -- it looks like they're pulling the drill stuff out. Is that what they're doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It appears yes.

FLOCK: You are a miner. You've been a miner for almost 30 years, correct?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that's right.

FLOCK: Just wanted to come out and see what was all about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Saw it on TV and just had to come see to see what it was like.

FLOCK: You've never been trapped down in a mine, but it's got to go through your mind what that would be like, I don't doubt. And I'm going to ask you to step out in the street here -- we didn't want to block the traffic -- but what goes through your mind when you think about this being your profession?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can imagine -- I know what it is to be in total darkness. That's about all I can imagine. Can't imagine being trapped with the water and stuff.

FLOCK: Obviously, you have problems where you lose your light on occasion down in there. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course, we have a lot of buddies around that will help you out. I imagine that's what happened down there. They stuck together and pulled it through.

FLOCK: What did you make of it when you looked, as you see all this activity -- these trucks are going to block our way here for a moment, but that's just part of it -- these are some of the pieces of heavy equipment that were utilized out here. Knowing if you were down trapped like that, Knowing this kind of effort would come to bear. I think we can walk right out here now -- would come to bear to try to get you out, what does that make you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. It's hard to imagine, but I think with everybody pulling together like that, I think anything is possible.

FLOCK: Sir, I appreciate the time. Thanks very much. We'll let you go back and take a peek there as they begin to try to put this site back to the way it was, which, Kyra, was a bunch of cows out there grazing. That's what was happening here before Wednesday, when all hell broke loose here at this drill site about -- oh, I guess we're about 1 1/2 miles from the entrance to the Quecreek Mine.

That's the latest, Kyra. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: Jeff, real quickly, I was reading that possibly the mine might be shut down. Have you heard that?

FLOCK: Well, I think it goes without saying that the mine is shut down as we speak. You know, they've got a lot of water still in it. And of course, the mine has been compromised. Again as the traffic flies past in front of us. The Saxman Mine, which, of course, is just adjoining it. You know, the neat thing about this whole thing is that right where we stand right here, if you go straight down, you find mines. And of course, that's true in a lot of areas in Pennsylvania, but it's right down there now. Of course, there's that breech between that and the Saxman Mine, which is an abandoned mine.

So there's a lot of issues. It would not surprise me if that mine never sees mining again. But I guess that remains to be seen, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jeff Flock -- thanks so much, Jeff.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com