earthquake triggered?

Mine Collapses in Utah, 6 Miners Missing

By Matthew Frank, 8-06-07

Six miners were trapped Monday when an underground coal mine collapsed less than 20 miles from the epicenter of a minor earthquake in Central Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

The Genwal mine, operated by Utah American Energy, collapsed just before 3 a.m., around the same time as a 4.0-magnitude earthquake, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management said.

"We really know nothing," Doug Johnson off Utah American Energy told the Tribune. "We are relying on information coming from the mine, and we haven't gotten anything yet."

Utah Sen. Bob Bennett issued the following statement: "I offer my support to the families of the six missing miners and my thanks to those who are engaged in the current rescue operations. We are keeping in close contact with local officials in both Emery and Carbon Counties and the Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration and hope to know more as the day goes on."

Rescue workers are on the scene trying to find the six miners.

Click here for the Tribune's full story, by Russ Rizzo.

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