Seek not your fortune way down in the mines

What a sad, awful rollercoaster of emotions. I cannot imagine how awful it must be for the families of the dead miners to have their hopes dashed in such a cruel fashion.

U.S. mines have been getting safer over the years. But this particular mine seems to have occured numberous health and safety violations. From MSNBC:

[The Sago mine] was cited by federal inspectors for 46 alleged violations of federal mine health and safety rules during an 11-week review that ended Dec. 22. The more serious alleged violations, resulting in proposed penalties of at least $250 each, involved steps for safeguarding against roof falls, and the mine’s plan to control methane and breathable dust. The mine received 208 citations from MSHA during 2005, up from 68 citations in 2004.