Utah mine owner - what's your take on him?

Question

Bob Murray says that there was an earthquake that caused the mine to collapse. Some geologists say no way. Plus, some news sources report that miners were complaining about the danger of a particular segment of the mine before it collapsed. I heard Murray interviewed last night. The guy gave me the creeps.

Answer 1

He's trying to insulate himself from lawsuits and government intervention, which could close his mine.
The mine has already had over 2,700 violations; he's probably trying to weasel out of any potential legal consequences for his neglect.
My guess is he'll continue this charade of trying to find the miners for another few days, and then claim it's futile. He'll shut down the recovery operation (to save a few hundred thousand dollars) and convert to a rescue operation (which, if it produces no miners' bodies in a few days, will also be abandoned). -RKO- 08/12/07

Answer 2

The guy is a creep. Read this little gem! Especially the 4th paragraph! Murray has blamed an earthquake for the collapse, although seismologists say there was no quake.

Twelve of the 80 miners working on the rescue have asked to be reassigned because they were frightened by what Murray called "tectonic activity."
The drilling is an attempt to locate the miners while rescuers slowly clear a blocked horizontal access route to where the men were working 3.4 miles from the entrance.

Officials said progress was slow because of the need to install extensive roof and wall supports in the tunnel.

. According to a memo for the operators of the mine, structural problems in the mine caused heavy damage to two entries in the mine in March and led the company to abandon mining in the section altogether.

But the company did not give up on the mine. Instead, it hired Agapito Associates Inc., a Grand Junction, Colo., engineering firm, to analyze how to safely mine the southern sections.

The operators were mining directly across from the area that was damaged in March when it collapsed last week.

Agapito's April 18 memo to mine co-owner and operator UtahAmerican Energy Inc. said the operators were retreat mining — a common but sometimes dangerous practice that involves pulling out leftover sections and pillars of coal that hold up the roof.

Although Murray has denied that the company was retreat mining at the time of last week's accident, MSHA officials have said they approved a plan for the mine to engage in retreat mining.

Murray said Sunday that it was Agapito who recommended the Crandall Canyon's mining plan and he asserted that it was "perfectly safe."

"We've had a once-in-a-lifetime disaster here," Murray said. "This has not happened before. We have never seen seismic activity as occurred in this case."

___

Associated Press writers Alicia A. Caldwell, Brock Vergakis

Answer 3

Who knows? He seems like a decent guy. But I think it will take a long time before all the facts are uncovered. I would not believe any of the negative stuff at he moment, nor would I fully accept his statements about running a completely safe operation. Only time will tell here. What matters more than any of this right now is that every possible effort is being made to rescue the trapped miners.

Again, Bob Murray seems like a good man. I hope that impression turns out to be accurate.

Answer 4

the guy has owned the mine for less than a year. most of the safety violations were before he bought it. he's spending all kinds of money from his own pocket for this effort. lawsuits, he has insurance that will pay the families whatever they need, as do much of the coal industry. it's coal mining, there is a reason that miners make a lot of money and this is why. if it was safe we'd all do it, wouldn't you??? the man knows more about mining than most of the geologists do he's was underground mining for 20 years, no one handed him what he has today, he worked for it, unlike a lot of people today who's mom or dad give them everything including a job. as for the way helooks and acts, i'm pretty sure he's probably not sleeping much worrying about stuff.

Answer 5

Honestly I don't really care for him, but I don't know him personally so I can't really give much of a real opinion on him. Really it doesn't sound like an earthquake caused the collapse, it was the collapse caught on seismographs, but I'm sure he's trying to stick to that story to prevent lawsuits. Obviously one of his other mine's has had many serious violations which could easily mean that this mine could have had problems too.

Answer 6

I think there is spin going on here and everybody wants to blame somebody. These jobs are dangerous and considering how much coal is mined vs accidents its a wonder we don't have more problems.
May these men be found alive and well, may god bless...

Good Luck,

Answer 7

He gives me the creeps too. l thinks he protests too much. It's called cover yourself.

Answer 8

he's trying to cover himself from lawsuits and for not following mine safety regulations