Interview With West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin
PHILLIPS: Well, it's a race against time right now to rescue 13 trapped miners. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin joins me now to talk about the very latest on the developing situation. You just happen to be in town for the bowl game.</s>GOV. JOE MANCHIN (D), WEST VIRGINIA: Well, I was here with all the 25,000 West Virginians for the Sugar Bowl tonight. And I got a call this morning, early this morning. I think about 6:15, 6:30 is when the explosion happened. And it was opening up an idle mine over the holidays. And the first crew went down here. And -- and there was another crew following behind. And the accounts that we have is that the second crew heard the explosion. They were able to retreat. And they even tried to go back and could not get in. So, they retreated back out.</s>PHILLIPS: Wow. So, they wanted to go back in...</s>MANCHIN: They tried, right.</s>PHILLIPS: ... and try to rescue the miners in front of them.</s>MANCHIN: I understand we had -- we had that group still wanting to go back and help their friends...</s>PHILLIPS: Oh, gosh.</s>MANCHIN: ... and could not. So, they retreated back. And -- and the safety levels -- you know, with the carbon -- carbon levels up high, it -- it prevents the rescue teams. We have all rescue teams, and Governor Rendell called me and offered all of Pennsylvania's help, as they have been so kind, and they have been through these types of situations.</s>PHILLIPS: Somerset, can't forget the.</s>MANCHIN: Illinois...</s>PHILLIPS: Right.</s>MANCHIN: Governor Blagojevich is sending a rescue team out, because they have an awful lot of experience with mining. And, you know, that's when all the mining communities come together. But we're really just, with our families and all the families there in West Virginia right now, hoping and praying for a speedy recovery and a safe recovery for all of them. And we will have all the support that we can for them.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about a couple of things. First of all, do you know what caused that explosion? Are you getting some initial reports about what might have happened?</s>MANCHIN: You know, not really. I -- I know the coal scenes. I grew up in little Farmington...</s>PHILLIPS: Farmington.</s>MANCHIN: And Farmington is where we had a horrific explosion. I had -- in 1954, as a small child, I remember that first explosion. Then, in '68, I lost my uncle and a lot of my friends that worked there from right out of high school. So, I'm familiar with the procedure and also with the gas in these mines. Excuse me. I would not have thought that would have been a high gaseous area. But we have methane buildups in all these underground mines. But, with that, there's some type of an ignition that happened. And you have to have that. You're starting up a mine, so that means you're putting all your power sources back on to get all your equipment working. We don't know what could have happened. And it's just a horrific accident. And...</s>PHILLIPS: Now, let's talk about how the -- the miners are equipped for something like this. I mean, a lot of people are saying, OK, we're thinking about what happened in Pennsylvania, and it was amazing images...</s>MANCHIN: Yes.</s>PHILLIPS: ... to see those miners brought up.</s>MANCHIN: Yes.</s>PHILLIPS: But you made up a really -- or -- or made good point that we're talking, that was water. This is gas and fire.</s>MANCHIN: This is gas and fire, yes.</s>PHILLIPS: So, let -- let's set the scene for how these are two totally different situations...</s>MANCHIN: Well...</s>PHILLIPS: ... with regard to a -- a -- a rescue.</s>MANCHIN: Right. Well, Kyra, basically, all miners are equipped to handle, and their -- their equipment that they have is prepare them, you know, for survival, you know, in case something would happen. So, they have an ample -- you know, some supplies for the breathing apparatuses and things of this sort. And you just have to hope that explosions weren't of the magnitude that it -- it was, you know, horrific from the beginning. But without that, we always have. There's places they can retreat in all these mines. They have, like catacombs, if you will, and they can go back, and they can barricade. And, as we saw with the group with the water...</s>PHILLIPS: Right.</s>MANCHIN: ... no difference from this this, too. And they're still venting the mines as we're speaking right now. I spoke to all of our people on site. They're venting, trying to get bad air out and hopefully get some good air in. And, if we can see an improvement of air, then they will make a decision to let the rescue squads in, rescue teams.</s>PHILLIPS: ... can get in.</s>PHILLIPS: Because that could cause another explosion, because of the high gas level, right?</s>MANCHIN: Well, we still have a fire going on, and you have a gas level, and you put air to it, then, you know, I mean...</s>PHILLIPS: So...</s>MANCHIN: ... but, then, going in is very dangerous.</s>PHILLIPS: So, it's very possible -- or do you know, is there an active fire in the mine right now?</s>MANCHIN: We do not.</s>PHILLIPS: OK.</s>MANCHIN: That's what we don't know. But if you have high levels of carbon -- carbon monoxide -- then you know this...</s>PHILLIPS: Right.</s>MANCHIN: What causes that is a fire.</s>PHILLIPS: Sure.</s>MANCHIN: So, we're hoping those levels will go down. It's been maybe some six, seven hours now since this happened.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, the miners that got out, were they able to say to you, we saw flames; this is what happened? I mean...</s>MANCHIN: They heard.</s>PHILLIPS: They just heard?</s>MANCHIN: The accounts given to me is, they heard the explosion, felt the explosion, and was able to retreat immediately. And, then, thinking that maybe they could go back, I understood a few tried to do that, and they said, no, we better go back.</s>PHILLIPS: Wow.</s>MANCHIN: And they retreated.</s>PHILLIPS: Now, the breathing apparatus that each one of these coal miners has, tell me, how long does that last, about an hour?</s>MANCHIN: Well...</s>PHILLIPS: It's the same as the rescue crews?</s>MANCHIN: And I'm not sure, because it's -- it's -- it's...</s>PHILLIPS: OK.</s>MANCHIN: There's a standard that they have to meet. And I have been through the procedures. I have been in the mines many times myself. And they do have breathing equipment with them.</s>PHILLIPS: OK.</s>MANCHIN: And, then, hopefully, it's to get them to a place of where there might be safety. And they have detections also, where they can hopefully detect if it's safe in certain areas before they would take their breathing. So, there's always that possibility. There's always that hope and -- and -- and chance that -- that they were able to go to a part of the mine that still had safe air, and they have all the equipment in order to test that. And...</s>PHILLIPS: Let -- let me...</s>MANCHIN: ... we're hoping for that.</s>PHILLIPS: And -- and let me ask you, Governor, since -- since I have you. We are looking at your Web site, the West Virginia MineSafety.org.</s>MANCHIN: Yes.</s>PHILLIPS: And it tracks, of course, the accidents -- West Virginia, 12 fatal accidents 2004, three in 2005. Obviously, one is too many.</s>PHILLIPS: But tell me about what you're doing to try and prevent these types of accidents. And -- and tell me about the inspection process.</s>MANCHIN: Well, as you said, one is too many.</s>PHILLIPS: Right.</s>MANCHIN: But last year was the safest that we have had. Mining is an inherent -- it's an inherent dangerous occupation.</s>PHILLIPS: Oh, sure.</s>PHILLIPS: We talk about the dangers of it all the time.</s>MANCHIN: And -- and, you know, I said that West Virginia, our little state, has given so much, because, for the Industrial Revolution that we built up by the mines that mine the coal, that make steel, and, also, today supporting the energy levels that this country needs. So, our people have been extremely brave. And it's been like generation after generation. And, with that, it's just -- it's -- it's been tougher and tougher, because the mining industry had declined for far too long. And now it has a resurgence. And we don't have the amount of young miners going into it. Like, when I was out of high school, we had an awful lot of young men. And now we young women going also in mining. And it's truly a profession. And it's highly skilled, highly technical. With all that being said, they are trained. You know, it's -- it's -- they're the top of the -- of their field. With that, they know the inherent risks. And they're very cautious about them. But, with that, you never know.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, knowing the risk, but what about the inspection process? The inspection process is -- basically, it's an ongoing -- there's -- there's continuous inspection, both from the state and federal level. They're inspecting these mines continuously to see the conditions, checking the gas, checking ventilation, making sure that they're leaving enough cover, making sure the roof bolts will hold the -- the tops. They're doing all of these things. And we have been -- had an excellent account of all of that. Still, with all that being said, there's things that happen that, with all of the precautions taken, you can't prevent.</s>PHILLIPS: So, particularly, when we talk about this mine -- tell me if I'm pronouncing it correctly -- the Sago mine?</s>MANCHIN: Sago mine, they call it.</s>PHILLIPS: Sago mine.</s>MANCHIN: Sago mine.</s>PHILLIPS: Sago mine. Will you be able to go back and see when the last -- last inspection was done?</s>MANCHIN: Oh, yes.</s>PHILLIPS: And was every -- tell me about the investigation.</s>MANCHIN: I'm sorry, Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: No.</s>MANCHIN: What they will do -- what they will do is, we will go back and make sure that all of our paperwork, all of our mine safety people and that the people that are responsible from our state level -- and I understand the federal level are there now -- they will go back through their record to see if there's anything that they might have had a warning or a precautionary warning, if you will, that something need to be corrected. I haven't heard of any of that. In the last six hours, no one has said, well, we knew we had a problem there.</s>PHILLIPS: Right.</s>MANCHIN: We didn't hear that. So, it's -- it's something...</s>PHILLIPS: And, of course, you're asking those questions. All right.</s>MANCHIN: I'm asking the same questions, right.</s>PHILLIPS: Yes, the same questions we are asking, right?</s>MANCHIN: Right. I want to know, too. And I -- I have all the confidence. Our people basically are committed and dedicated. And most of our mine inspectors have all come out of the mining industry with their families, uncles, and fathers and...</s>PHILLIPS: Generation after generation...</s>MANCHIN: That's exactly -- so...</s>PHILLIPS: ... just like your family.</s>MANCHIN: So, they are so concerned, because they know the inherent risk that is there. So, they are going to do everything they can to make sure that any new miner, whether it's their family or not, is going to have the most safety they can and -- and protection. And...</s>PHILLIPS: So, what happens right now? Obviously, all the family members have been notified that their spouse or son, or whomever, could be down there, right?</s>MANCHIN: You have got to notify everybody and let them know what's going on.</s>MANCHIN: Yes. I can only tell you that I have been around, unfortunately, more times than -- than I would have liked, and knowing West Virginia right now -- and that's why I'm heading back. I'm getting on a plane right now.</s>PHILLIPS: Oh, you're going now?</s>MANCHIN: I'm going back home.</s>PHILLIPS: I think that that's definitely a good move. They need you.</s>MANCHIN: I will be at the -- I will be at the site tonight. I want make sure they know that this state is there for them and doing everything. But I can tell you, as we are in West Virginia, we're family. And that family, all those families of those 13 miners, are gathered around that mine site somewhere. And we will make -- make sure that they're able to be kept briefed on what's going on, and so that they're not out there -- just, it's a hearsay. They will know specifically what we're doing and what we can do to make sure that their loved ones are safe.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, Governor Joe Manchin, we appreciate your time. It's a same that you have got to leave under these circumstances.</s>MANCHIN: Well, I -- I...</s>PHILLIPS: But you will keep us updated.</s>MANCHIN: The only place I want to be right now is back home.</s>PHILLIPS: Understandable. Thanks, Governor.</s>MANCHIN: Thank you, Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: Appreciate it very much.</s>MANCHIN: I appreciate very much for having me.</s>PHILLIPS: Appreciate it. We are going to take a quick break -- more LIVE FROM right after this.