Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Event/Special

Memorial Hospital Physicians Update Press on Rescued Miners' Status

Aired July 28, 2002 - 08:25   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: We want to go now to some news that we're getting out of Somerset, Pennsylvania, a press conference there -- let's listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They did -- I don't think any of them realized it was as long as it was.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes -- as soon as we initially evaluated the patients, you know, which took us maybe four or five minutes per patient, the families were here excited, we brought them in, and they've been with the patients ever since that time.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To answer the second question first. Six of the nine miners are here. Three of them went to Somerset Hospital; I can't comment on their condition or whether they're still there or not.

In terms of sleeping while they were there, I don't know the answer to that. They were standing in water. I think it would be difficult, although they were huddled together quite tightly -- quite tightly -- so, it's possible. But they were exhausted when they got here. Once they were reunited with their family, many of them fell asleep and slept through the night.

QUESTION: Doctor, you mentioned that two of the patients (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There have been a couple of symptoms which are related to possibly their underlying physiology, which require further evaluation. I can't give you any specifics on that. They're not life threatening, but they -- the evaluation -- laboratory evaluation simply requires more time, and it will probably be through today before we're done with that, or usually it takes about 24 hours, and that will put it at about 3:00 in the morning, so most likely we'll keep them until tomorrow morning.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Basically cardiac. QUESTION: Can you tell us if there's any evidence (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not know the answer to that. It was fresh water, contaminated with coal dust, probably, I don't -- I suppose they could've tried. I mean, they were literally covered in coal when they came. So, mouth, ears, every orifice was just saturated with coal.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most likely because this is, they were experiencing some degree of mild hypothermia, they could not rule out the fact that they would not experience some symptoms of decompression symptoms, and we are the closest trauma center to the site. So, that would be why they were brought -- were brought here.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From what I'm understanding, there were rock ledges and stuff to lean on. I don't know if they were able to sit or lie down; most of them were on their feet for most of the duration of the incident.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well -- I don't know the answer to that. They were not completely submersed in water, they had the pipe coming in for some orientation, and apparently they had a piece of a candle that was either carried down with someone, and, or dropped down to them -- I don't know.

QUESTION: Doctor, we heard (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the miners has some complaints of shoulder pain. We do not find any evidence of gross injury, and several of the miners are complaining of aches and pains in their joints from leaning up against the rocks for prolonged periods of time.

We don't think -- none of them were crushed by running water or flowing debris, anything like that. None of them complained of any other trauma other than submersion of their lower extremities, and the entrapment for a prolonged period of time.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My understanding is, it's only four to five feet tall. I don't know.

What's that?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When (ph) it's over, I guess.

QUESTION: Did they describe to you their ordeal when the rush of water came down and how they were able to get to that higher ground?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have not -- I did not ask them about that, no.

QUESTION: Have you been able to ascertain whether they were just absolutely overwhelmed? I mean, we understand that they are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with their families right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's pretty much just to allow them to rest and for privacy. I've seen them, again, all of them this morning. They look exceptionally well. I mean, if you were to meet any of these guys on the street right now, you would not know that they were trapped in a cavern full of water for three days.

I do not see any evidence of stress, post-traumatic stress or anxiety from any of them. They're all quite calm, cool and collected, and they all want to get on with things. They want to get home, get back to their normal lives.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of them are sort of encouraged and enlightened by it. It's been on all of their TVs this morning when I've come in. They've seen their names and everything on the TV there. They're joking about it in the rooms at this point.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did not ask them about that. That is going to be a significant issue in the future, I would think.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, they're split up through the hospital. A couple of them had -- we tried to keep them on the same floor, but a couple had to go to the -- to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) unit for cardiac monitoring, and the rest are split between two floors.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't say that right now.

QUESTION: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) fair condition?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're in fair condition, yes.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you want to?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Basically, what we'll do is we will get back to you with those listed. We will get back to you with those listed. I think just about everybody is going to probably be moved up to good condition, to tell you the truth, so it might be a little bit more difficult for you. Even if we are keeping them overnight or a little bit longer for observation. QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There have been so many cans of chewing tobacco, I just don't know what to do with it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've actually had people dropping it off here at the hospital, so we don't want to encourage that at all. Please. I think they have it taken care of. We did have one family member that brought it to her husband immediately, because she knew he'd want that and hold it in his hands. So they're happy with that.

QUESTION: Did they express any desires for any keepsakes or anything (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. They -- initially all they've been asking for is warm blankets, food, and they want to go home. That's it. That's all they've asked for so far.

QUESTION: Has the governor (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not to my knowledge.

QUESTION: Do you have the names of the miners?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have all of their names. And all of them are basically in good condition right now. I mean, the two that were in fair condition will be upgraded to good today. They're doing quite well. This is purely precautionary and just observational. No real interventions are being taking place, other than further laboratory evaluation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there anything else? Thank you very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: You've been listening to physicians at Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania giving us an update on the six miners who are resting comfortably inside their hospital.

Of course, we know the other three miners that were pulled to safely last night have been taken to a hospital in Somerset. We heard the physician say they do hope to upgrade them to good condition. There were, of course, concerns about decompression systems, because they were 240 feet below the ground surface. Hypothermia a concern. Dehydration. So far, they say they are all doing very well, and we could not be happier for them. We first heard of their safe return about 1:00 a.m. Eastern time. It began being pulled up the shaft, and by 3:00 a.m., all nine had been pulled to safety.

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