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CNN Sunday Morning

Rescue Efforts in Pennsylvania Pay Off

Aired July 28, 2002 - 10:05   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 get more now on our top story of the day, the amazing mine rescue in Pennsylvania. Seventy- six hours of grueling rescue work has finally paid off, paid off this morning around 1:00. All nine members of that mine -- or nine crew members of that crew, rather -- are alive, and they are well. CNN's Brian Palmer is standing by at the rescue command center to fill us in.

Hi, again, Brian.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine and Thomas, good morning from the soon to be no more command center. The last miner was pulled out about seven hours ago, dirty, wet, hungry, dehydrated, but with no serious injuries. Three of the miners were taken to a local hospital. The other six were taken to a trauma center just a few miles farther away, just to put them under observation for things like chest pains, and aches and pains, and also mild hypothermia.

Now, among their first requests, some rather mundane things that they wanted. These were discussed a bit by a doctor at a press conference that they held just a few hours earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. RUSSELL DUMIRE, MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER: All of them were starving and dehydrated when they came out. As soon as we evaluated them, and made sure they had no other significant injuries which would preclude giving them anything to eat, we allowed them to take whatever they wanted, and they pretty much devoured anything that could be brought into the room.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

DUMIRE: Well, the first thing they could get their hands on were some doughnuts, and those were gone in a matter of instance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PALMER: Now, the rescue obviously is over, but there's a lot of recuperation to be done and reconnecting with families. And according to the Department of Environmental Protection, activity at the mine will not end with this rescue. They're going to continue to drain the water out. They're trying to reduce any future hazards that could remain at that site. They're going to try and pull equipment out if they can, and then they're going to have to seal those shafts that they've done, again, to prevent any further hazards.

The step after that is the investigation into why this accident occurred in the first place -- Thomas, Catherine.

ROBERTS: Brian Palmer, live for us in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Brian, thanks very much.

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