Mine Disaster - Community

We have been reporting on the community that has been hit with a double disaster in the last two weeks. First, the Crandall Canyon mine collapsed trapping six miners. Then, Thursday, the mine collapsed again killing three and injuring six rescue miners trying to find the trapped. We have been in the community for the last couple days reporting on the hope and the response of the community. Throughout the community, despite frustration and exhaustion, funds have been raised for the families of the nine miners. At football games, vigils, car washes and rodeos throughout the county, people showed their support for mining and their miners.

Crandall Canyon Mine - Rescue Effort Tragedy

Tonight was yet another sad night in Huntington, Utah. While trying to reach six miners trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine, another cave in occurred injuring six and killing three rescue workers.

I was just returning from the office to prepare to go back down to the mine the next day when I received a call from my mom. Actually three calls. I knew on the third call I should pick it up. “Something bad has happened,” she says. “They don’t know but there are helicopters and ambulances outside the mine in Huntington.” I quickly called my boss and said I would leave then. Two and a half hours later I was in Price outside of the hospital where some of the rescue workers were transported after the accident.

On my way in I saw a group gathering, starting to light candles. While my coworker was waiting for word about any of the rescue workers, I went back to the roadside vigil. They were mourning the death of a cousin and other community members. Azure had just lost her cousin, Dale, a mine rescue worker, and was still waiting to hear about her father’s cousin, Kerry Allred, one of the miners trapped in the mine.

Photo Intern - Parades & Festivals

Today I decided to look through some of the photos I have taken over the summer. This is my first time shooting for a daily newspaper. I am used to diving into a subject and spending a long time getting to know the people and the subject itself. The thought of going to a parade or a festival wasn’t my idea of fun. But I have to admit, now it is a breathe of fresh air - people having a good time. Taking photos of a parade makes you step away and try to do something creative. Here are some of those photos.

Crandall Canyon Mine - Third Drill Hole

Today I covered the press conference where Bob Murray revealed the video they were able to get by drilling a hole into the mine. It didn’t seem too conclusive to me either way. I mean you could see the fact that the ceiling had not caved in completely but there were no signs of the six miners still trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine. You can go on Deseret Morning News and see the video tomorrow morning.

Like I said, in my earlier post, today was a game of waiting. I didn’t want to leave my post for fear of missing the press conference and any information Bob Murray and his gang had for us to share. So here are some images of Bob Murray at the press conference.

Crandall Canyon Mine Update

I am up near the entrance of the Crandall Canyon Mine waiting for the afternoon press conference. It is a game of waiting  so I thought I would update my blog in the meantime. Here is a photo of all the media waiting. My little car is in the bottom right hand corner. It has been my sleeping quarters and now my office. This car has treated me well this summer.

The media surrounds the corner in front of the entrance to the Crandall Canyon Mine waiting for any information to pass on about the six miners still trapped in the mine. Photo taken on Aug. 13, 2007. Photo by Jennifer Ackerman/Deseret Morning News

Crandall Canyon Mine

I am told there is always news in Utah. This summer, that statement did not disappoint me. I have been down in Huntington, Utah, covering the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster where six miners are trapped.

I have only been here for two days now, but I sense the frustration throughout the town. People continue to have hope that these men are still alive. Some of the family members say that their faith and hope that they are alive is just as strong today as it was the first day, but other community members are starting to think the worst. Of course, they hope that these men are alive after being trapped for eight days now, but the reality, they say, is the impact of the collapse, despite where they were at that exact time, would seriously injure them.

The families have not been willing to talk and understandably so, so getting anything intimate has been hard. My post has been the junior high about 15 miles from the entrance of the mine. This is where the families have been stationed. So I have been trying to show their hope, frustration, fear, etc. This has been a bit difficult as there is a fence that acts as a barrier to the family with the sheriff’s office guarding the mile perimeter.

Tonight I have moved to the entrance of the mine, to what they refer to as headquarters. I relieved one of the staffers that has had this post for a couple of nights, meaning he hasn’t really slept in a couple of nights. Apparently, we have to stay up just in case Murray makes an appearance. He has been known to do that at 3:30 or 4 in the morning. The risk of that happening tonight is slim but I have to be ready to go when his team arrives.

Interning for the Deseret News this summer, I been able to taste my fair share of spot news and I guess what you would call disaster news. While I am still soft, I have learned to take the elbows from other photographers that “really” need the photo. It has been interesting being surrounded by tons of media. You learn when and when not to fight for an image quickly. And when I mean fight, I mean try to get in the pack of 10-15 videographers and photographers trying to get 2 inches of space to squeeze into. You can see in some of my images, I was actually able to get in there and get something. Most of the time I have been feeling like the paparazzi using a 400 with an extender and standing at least 100 yards from my subjects.

Here are some images from the last two days.

Members of the Huntington community wait at the Canyon View Junior High to hear any news of the six men trapped in the Crandall mine on Aug. 11, 2007. Photo by Jenn Ackerman/Deseret Morning News

Joe Jensen, a member of the Huntington community, was a miner for more than two decades. “I think of the worst and pray for the best,” he says. Photo taken on Aug. 11, 2007. Photo by Jenn Ackerman/Deseret Morning News

“God Bless Our Miners” hangs in the window of Joe Jensen’s home in Huntington. Jensen was a miner for more than two decades. “I think of the worst and pray for the best,” he says. Photo taken on Aug. 11, 2007. Photo by Jenn Ackerman/Deseret Morning News

Elizabeth Hanson, left, and Dorr Hanson, right, members of the Huntington community pray and fast at the fast service at Huntington LDS Stake Center on Aug. 11, 2007. “I wake up at night in a warm bed and I think of what conditions those miners must be in and I start crying. It breaks my heart,” she says. Photo by Jenn Ackerman/Deseret Morning News

A member of the Mission San Rafael Catholic Church in Huntington pauses in front of the cross outside of the church after mass. During the twice a month service, they prayed for the six miners still trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine on Aug. 12, 2007. Photo by Jenn Ackerman/Deseret Morning News

Coal Mining

This post is a tribute to coal mining. For the men and woman that allow us to turn on our lights at night and stay cool during the summer.

Six men are still trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine in Huntington, Utah. I found this news driving home to Salt Lake City on Monday afternoon. Since Sunday, rescue teams including fellow miners have been trying to gain contact with the men.

After spending two months covering the coal industry, I came realize that the mining industry is very unique as there is a culture, history and legacy. This equates to pride and loyalty. Loyalty to the mining itself but most of all to each other. This is a tribute to the loyalty found in and out of the mines and to the six men in Huntington.

I have never published this work and figured this might be the best time to do so. While I am living in Utah now, these photos were taken in Ohio and West Virginia.

Out of the Mines: The Affects of Coal in Appalachia

Here are the images with captions. Please click on the image to see all of the images.

, originally uploaded by jenniferackermanphotos.

 

Photo Intern - Deseret Morning News

Here are some photos I have taken recently for the paper.