SOMERSET (PRNewswire) – A mining accident and dramatic rescue involving nine trapped men that gripped the nation four years ago was commemorated today with an official state historical marker. The marker was unveiled at the Quecreek Mine Rescue site at Dormel Farms, 151 Haupt Road, Somerset.
“The successful rescue of the trapped miners involved hundreds of people and brought changes in mine safety,” said Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Executive Director Barbara Franco. “It was a
heartening example of professionals, volunteers and government officials working tirelessly to extract the men and save their lives.”
The incident happened on July 24, 2002, when miners became trapped 240 feet underground in a partially flooded area. After pumping the water out of the mine, a rescue capsule finally brought the miners to safety during the early morning of Sunday, July 28. Many have called the rescue a miracle. Family members, townspeople and well-wishers held a vigil at the site throughout the ordeal.
After the accident, improvements were made in archiving mine maps and in identifying the location of water-filled mine voids. The site is 10 miles from the area where the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 crashed
during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. This marker joins over 2,500 others that depict people, places and events of interest in the commonwealth.
For information on the historical marker program, visit www.phmc.state.pa.us. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the official
history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.