Manchin and Rockefeller issue statements on anniversary of Sago - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) released the following statement on the 7th anniversary of the Sago Mine disaster. 

"Not a day goes by when I don't think of the miners we have lost, and today is a sad anniversary for the families of those who died at Sago. Gayle and I hold those families close to our hearts, and I know that all West Virginians join us in offering their prayers. While nothing can ever bring those men back to their families, we made positive changes after the tragedy, and my hope is that the changes we made have put miners in a safer place in the seven years since that awful day. As we continue to reflect on Sago and our other mining disasters, I am determined to make sure the Congress enacts meaningful safety reforms so that our miners can always return home to their families at the end of their shifts."

Senator Jay Rockefeller today issued the following statement in remembrance of the January 2, 2006 mine disaster at Sago that claimed the lives of 12 miners and seriously injured another.

"My heart still aches over the loss of our coal miners at Sago on that tragic day seven years ago. And it's yet another reminder that the best way to honor all of those we've lost is to do everything in our power to build upon mine safety improvements. Following the Sago disaster, Congress came together and passed legislation focused on improving mine rescue efforts. But the tragedies we have seen over the past seven years show we have more work to do. It is my hope that 2013 is the year we pass my mine safety bill and give our miners and their families the added protections they deserve."

12 miners died in the Sago Mine in Upshur County on January 2nd, 2006.

The blast and collapse trapped 13 miners for nearly two days. 

One miner, Randal McCloy Jr., survived.