Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 22, 1993 TAG: 9304220184
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DOUGLAS PARDUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Families and their attorneys have complained that they have not been able to directly question inspectors during hearings by a task force appointed by Wilder to evaluate the state's mine inspection system and the handling of the state's worst mine disaster in 30 years.
Family members have been permitted to ask questions only through task force members.
Jim Robinson, a former delegate from Pound who heads the task force, has said direct questioning is not proper because the disaster is still under state and federal investigation. He said the case could evolve into a criminal investigation and result in civil lawsuits.
Liza Katz, Wilder's spokeswoman, said Wednesday that Wilder has agreed to see if it would be proper for family members or their attorneys to directly question state mine investigators.
"We'll see what is do-able," she said.
But, she said, Wilder still believes the best way is for family members to draft a list of questions and give them to the task force.
The task force is supposed to come up with recommendations to improve the state's ability to prevent future mine disasters.
Family members have complained that state inspectors are trying to blame the dead miners for the explosion, instead of poor inspections and lax safety at Southmountain Coal Co. Mine No. 3. Preliminary findings indicate that the explosion may have been sparked by a miner lighting a cigarette. But family members want to know what happened to allow methane to build up to explosive levels.
Wilder's latest assurance that he will help family members learn what happened came as a result of a meeting Saturday with the widow of one of the miners.
Liz Mullins, whose husband, Mike, died in the explosion, said Wilder promised her at that meeting that he would make sure family members or their attorneys could directly question state mine inspectors. She now accuses Wilder of backing out on that promise.
Mullins said she met Wilder at an open house at Mountain Empire Community College near Big Stone Gap and asked if family members or their attorneys could question inspectors during future task force meetings.
She said Wilder assured her three times that he would make sure they could.
In a statement released Wednesday, Wilder said, "I told her I had no problem with questions being asked" but felt the questions should be asked through the task force members.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB