January 4, 2025 - When the legislative session begins, West Virginia legislators need to remember the importance of safety for all West Virginians who work in unhealthy and dangerous industrial work environments. For decades, those who’ve worked near rivers where carcinogens are dumped in the name of industrial success and those who’ve worked the mines so corporate can provide millions to their stockholders have not been afforded the safety precautions they deserved.

On January 2, 2006, International Coal Group’s Sago Mine in Upshur County explosion outright killed one miner, 16 others escaped, but 12 other miners died before help could be given. In April, 2006, the lone survivor, 26-year-old Randal McCloy, Jr. wrote a letter to the families and others who knew those deceased miners at the Tallmansville mine site. For the sake of keeping within my 500 word limit, this excerpt follows:

“About three weeks before the explosion that occurred on Jan. 2, 2006, Junior Toler and I found a gas pocket while drilling a bolt hole in the mine roof. Our detector confirmed the presence of methane. We immediately shut down the roof bolter, and the incident was reported up the line to our superiors. I noticed the following day that the gas leak had been plugged with glue normally used to secure the bolts.

“The explosion happened soon after the day shift arrived at the mine face on January 2, right after we got out of the man-trip. I remember that the mine filled quickly with fumes and thick smoke, and that breathing conditions were nearly unbearable.

“The first thing we did was activate our rescuers, as we had been trained. At least four of the rescuers did not function. There were not enough rescuers to go around.

“The air was so bad that we had to abandon our escape attempt and return to the coal rib, where we hung a curtain to try to protect ourselves.

“We attempted to signal our location to the surface by beating on the mine bolts and plates. We never heard a responsive blast or shot from the surface.

“We were worried and afraid, but we began to accept our fate. We prayed a little longer, then someone suggested that we each write letters to our loved ones. I wrote a letter to Anna and my children. When I finished writing, I put the letter in Jackie Weaver’s lunch box, where I hoped it would be found.

“As time went on, I became very dizzy and lightheaded. Some drifted off into what appeared to be a deep sleep, and one person sitting near me collapsed and fell off his bucket, not moving."

It’s heartbreaking to know that legislation has the capability to protect those who put their lives on the line to keep our state competitive in things like the coal industry yet our politicians seem to turn away from safety laws time and time again because of the almighty dollar.

We’ll be watching to see how successful the industrial lobbyists are again this year.