One Us Miner Reported Alive

Just one man is now known to have survived an explosion that trapped 13 men in the Sago mine in West Virginia, contradicting earlier claims that 12 of the men had been found alive after being trapped for more than 41 hours.

Hopes had been fading of finding anyone alive after mine officials revealed yesterday that carbon monoxide levels were more than three times over the safe levels. All of the initial attempts to find signs of life by pushing cameras through holes drilled from the surface and from a robotic device had been unsuccessful.

After news broke this morning that there were survivors, bells rang out at a church near the mining complex where relatives have been gathering. Some relatives ran out of the church screaming in jubilation at the news. One relative yelled: "They're alive! They're alive!".

Reports suggested that the explosion had happened in a "sealed off area", which had improved the men's survival chances. It was thought the carbon monoxide had built up as a by-product of the unexplained explosion. Typically, most explosions in coal mines are caused by a build up of methane gas.

State governor Joe Manchin, who had yesterday said he was hoping for a miracle as the search became more desperate, told reporters today: "They told us they have 12 alive. We have some people that are going to need some medical attention."

Just after 0600 GMT the first ambulance, which was reported to be carrying an unconscious miner, left the mining complex en route to a hospital. The dead miner was not immediately identified.

Earlier at the Sago Baptist Church, shortly after news of survivors came, a group of several hundred relatives broke into a chorus of the hymn "How Great Thou Art".

"Miracles happen in West Virginia and today we got one," said Charlotte Weaver, wife of Jack Weaver, one of the men who had been trapped in the mine.

"I got scared a lot of times, but I couldn't give up," she said. "We have an 11-year-old son, and I couldn't go home and tell him, 'Daddy wasn't coming home."'

One family member said a mine foreman called relatives there, saying the miners had been found.

Neither the company nor the governor's office immediately confirmed that the men were alive.

Earlier, Ben Hatfield, chief executive officer of mine-owner International Coal Group, said: "With each hour that passes, the likelihood of a successful outcome diminishes."

He added that at that time the rescue effort was "clearly in the situation where we need a miracle".

Rescue teams worked their way through the mine on foot for fear machinery might cause volatile gases to explode.

Helen Winans, whose son Marshall Winans, was one of those trapped said she believes there was divine intervention.

"The Lord takes care of them," she said.

Breanna Williams, whose sisters' father Jesse Jones was among the trapped, said she heard the miners had been found from other families who ran from the church proclaiming, "Praise the Lord, they are alive."

The dead miner was found about 700 feet (210 metres) from a mine car, and it appeared the employee was working on a beltline, which brings coal out of the Sago Mine, Mr Hatfield said.

The mine car was empty, which led rescuers to believe the others may have been safe somewhere else in the mine.

Company officials continued to stress throughout the ordeal that the miners were trained to barricade themselves in a safe area to minimise the risk of dangerous gases.

"The experience is what helped get him get out, no doubt in my mind," said John Groves, whose brother Jerry Groves, a 30-year miner, was among those trapped.