Saturday marks 15 years since Sago Mine disaster By
Sago Mine
CHARLESTON, W.Va. Saturday marks the 15th anniversary of the Sago Mine disaster, in which 12 coal miners died.
Randal McCloy, Jr. and his wife, Anna from a 2015 photo.
A U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration report determined lightning striking an abandoned cable as the likely cause of the blast.
A rescue crew reached the group nearly two days later, but 11 of the men had died from carbon monoxide asphyxiation. A miscommunication led to inaccurate reports that all 12 miners trapped underground were found alive.
Rescuers pulled Randal McCloy Jr. out of the mine on Jan. 4. McCoy spent weeks in a coma and received treatment for severe brain injuries.