Kentucky Darby Mine Was Cited 41 Times In 5 Years.

Source: AP via Yahoo News

Well surprise, surprise...the coal mine that exploded last Saturday has been cited 41 times in past five years for not cleaning up coal dust and other combustible materials. Three citations were issued this month before the blast. And get this:

Officials are investigating the cause of the blast. Gov. Ernie Fletcher has said it appeared to be a methane explosion that stirred up coal dust that may also have ignited, adding to the explosion.

And Kentucky Darby LLC doesn't want to comment. Wonder why....

The men that died right away were the lucky ones. Imagine dying of carbon monoxide poisoning. Surviving the initial blast only to die slowly, suffocating. Try to ignore the painful burning in your lungs. Horrible way to die.

Of course, while improper cleaning may have played a role in the blast, the cutting of funds for mine-safety oversight by Bush, light penalties for companies that constantly violate safety laws, and curbing the MSHA's power all have contributed, and the mine-related disasters of this year have helped to expose problems deep within the mining system.

Yeah, it's a dangerous job. Everyone is aware of that. Anyone who works for a mine company is putting their life at risk, every time they go on the clock. However, these people bring us valuable resources. Can't the government--on local, state, and federal levels--do their damn job, at the very least, and enforce the laws (and try funding them, too) that were enacted to guard against these same disasters?

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