Lightning Is Blamed for Mine Explosion
The explosion that killed 12 workers at the Sago Mine was probably caused by a lightning bolt that ignited methane gas in a sealed-off area, the mine’s owner said in Morgantown.
The company’s investigation turned up three pieces of compelling evidence of a lightning strike, all from 6:26 a.m. on Jan. 2, said Ben Hatfield, chief executive of International Coal Group Inc.
He said weather monitors confirmed an unusually large and powerful lightning strike near the mine; a U.S. Geological Survey station confirmed a seismic event at Sago; and the mine’s atmospheric alarms sounded.
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