Page 2 - Mine Safe News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> a little bit. >> come on, i'll show you around. >> fact is, there are still coal jobs. about 56,000 nationally and 7,000 here in kentucky. whoa. >> feel the simulator base? >> yes. >> you're mining. >> training for these jobs is mandatory, even if the industry is way safer today than the 1920s when an average of 1500 people died yearly due to mining collapses and explosions, accidents still happen. so training and safety is what this place is all about. got to back it up. that and my producer is getting more footage for their collection of look at all the things kamau can't do. this is the ...

Jobs. about 56,000 nationally and 7,000 here in kentucky. >> whoa. >> feel the simulator base? >> yes. >> you're mining. >> training for these jobs is mandatory, even if the industry is way safer today than the 1920s when an average of 1500 people died yearly due to mining eplosions and collapses, so training and safety is what this is all about. >> got to back it up. >> that and my producer is get morgue footage for their collection of look at all the things kamau can't do. this is the kentucky coal academy, the yale of appalachia, or the harvard. i can't remember. >> where are we headed? >> ...

Methane, all of those should be giving you this kind of, whoa, we better take a look at this. >> still, even in the wake of this tragedy, massey energy's website boasts of its commitment to safety of the company's ceo don blankenship is defending the mine safety record and his. >> i can assure you for the 20 some years i've been in charge of massey, it's been my foremost objective to make the mine safe. sometimes it seems humanly impossible. >> blankenship is colorful and controversial, does not believe in global warning, in the past has been against politicians that write safety laws. >> the ...

Stopped again. there's scepticism by the governor and congressional leaders that's why they are promising an investigation. >> interesting you bring that up, norah, we heard some about inspections, allegations. officials say obviously they want to rescue these miners. we know that's of the utmost importance but it is a big part of this situation how they got trapped in the first place and was there some type of negligence on behalf of this mine and the owners. >> reporter: absolutely. and according to the emsa administrator, kevin stricklin, who i pressed very hard yesterday about was this min...

The roof is what they call very rough roof. it's difficult to support, so part of the reasons there's been so many fines and regulatory offenses is because the mine safety and health administration is very interested in the mine. they have put in dozens of inspectors over the months trying to keep this mine safe. you put these inspectors in, they're very good. you put them in a coal mine and they're going to find some problems. >> shepard: and they did find problems. the mine is fighting the violations or has been fighting the violations for which sheriff's cited and then there's an explosion....