Coal Mine: The Sago Mining Disaster

“I don’t think I’m any different than a school teacher or a doctor we all have a job to do and were trained to do it” (Coal a Love Story). The Sago mining disaster is just one of the numerous mining disasters that were easily preventable. The miners that perished rely on coal for their income and many had no choice but to go into the industry. The world has a love-hate relationship with coal. It is often very “on again off again”. During World War II coal production was at an all-time high. After the war ended coal production plummeted. These fluctuations have occurred ever since coal first started being used. Now, coal production is the highest it has ever been, but at many costs. Coal mining deaths still occur every day. Coal mining has barely …show more content…
Back then it was revolutionizing. Coal essentially fueled the industrial revolution and gave millions of people a determination never seen before. Today, coal is still the main energy source of the United State, but coal does not bring the same feeling that it did back then. Now, coal brings thoughts of pollution and disasters. Coal mining directly effects a low volume of people in America, so many do not care about coal mining until a disaster occurs. However, when these disasters do occur they have the ability to bring the world together. When the San Jose mine in Chile collapsed the world watched for months as efforts were made to extract the miners. The media attention caused rescuers from different countries to aid in the rescue of the miners. In addition, the community the miners lived in was brought together. As seen in the movie, the families of all the miners camped outside of the rescue site for the entirety of the sixty-nine days the miners were waiting to be rescued (The 33). Similarly, the Sago mine disaster was also highly publicized. The community also came together. The families waited in a church together until the miners were found. It does not just take a disaster to bring miners together. As seen in Harlan County USA, protests brought people throughout America together as they joined in the protests There are many preconceptions about coal mining and the miners themselves. Many believe coal mining is a lower class way of life. For the miners, coal mining is all they know. Coal mining towns are the only places that coal is admired. In these small towns, coal is a way of life. In “Coal a Love Story” a woman discussed how coal mining goes back generations in her family and that it will continue to be passed down. The people in these small coal towns need the coal industry. Kentucky and West Virginia are some of the largest producers of coal in America, but they are among the poorest states in the country