The Sago Mine tragedy in 2006 grabbed public attention due to miscommunication between rescue teams and the command center that led families and the media to believe for hours that 12 miners were alive when they had actually already died from an explosion. This breakdown in crisis communication highlighted issues with the mine operator's crisis management and prompted increased government regulation and public awareness around coal mine safety.

1. Jennifer Chiang
09/30/13
SAGO MINE TRAGEDY
How a game of ‘whisper down the coal mine’
ricocheted around the world.

2. DO YOU KNOW THIS GAME?

3.  ICG (International Coal Group)
 The company produces coal from
mainly northern, central
Appalachia (Kentucky, Maryland,
Virginia, and West Virginia), and
from the Illinois Basin totaling to
about a dozen mining complexes.
 International Coal Group sold their
low-sulfur steam coal mainly to
electric utilities, and sold their
metallurgical coal to steelmakers.
 The president and CEO is Ben
Hatfield.
WHAT ABOUT THE COMPANY?

4.  Located in the coal-rich
hills of Tallsmanville, West
Virginia
 population: 418
 ICG purchased Anker Coal
Group, Inc. (the original
owner of Sago) and gained
ownership of Sago mine in
November 2005.
 MSHA’s major concerns at
that time were the
accumulation of water and
roof conditions.
WHAT ABOUT SAGO MINE?

5. WHY DID THIS ACCIDENT GRAB
PUBLIC’S ATTENTION?
 Coal mine disasters attract the most media attention because
of scenes showing nervous families waiting for news during
dramatic rescue attempts.
 The miscommunication between the rescue team and the
command center caused the mass media to misreport the
story.
 The emotional pain caused by the miscommunication
 Awaking public awareness of Mine Safety Issues

6.  Date: 01/02/2006 6:26 a.m.
 Location: Sago Mine (in Sago, West Virginia)
 Fatality: 13 coal miners were trapped.
12 were later found to have died, and only 1 survivor.
WHAT HAPPENED?

7. The tragedy started with the thunderstorm that morning…

8. Jan02
•6:26 a.m. Explosion
•5:25 p.m. First rescue team enters
Jan03
•2:40 a.m. Rescue team returns to the surface
•6:22 a.m. Reenter the mine
•5:18 p.m. First miner found dead. No ID.
•11:46 p.m. Command center got 1st report=> “12 miners alive.”
•11:50 p.m. Family heard “leaked” information from Command center
Jan04
•12:30 a.m. Command center received 2nd report: “ the lone survivor” has
arrived. =>Hope: The remaining miners were comatose
•Approximately 2:30 a.m. Family members were told the truth
•9:55 a.m. All miners’ bodies were removed from the mine

9. Rescue Team:
“Found 12 individuals.”
Command Center:
“12 people alive.”
Family in church:
thought 12 people
are alive and safe.
Mass Media:
thought 12 people
are alive and safe.
General public:
thought 12 people
are alive and safe.
Leaked
First report

10. Rescue Team:
“We found one survivor”
Command Center:
Request police to tell clergy: “the initial information was premature.”
X
Mass media and general public:
Still think that 12 people are
alive and safe.
Right after the second report

11. ICG CEO: tell the truth
Two hours after the second report

12. WHO ARE THE KEY AUDIENCES?
Families &
Friends
Mass
Media
ICG
employees

13.  Miscommunication
 rescuers <-> command center
 Information transferred at least 5 times underground
 Wearing mask
Misinterpretation from the command center
 command center <-> mass media/ family members
Did not have official spokesperson
Mass media collected information from not reliable sources
Family members believed “the leaked” information
WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES?

14.  Crisis Management
No timely and effective crisis/information control
No crisis management plan
Standard crisis response procedure ( no communication team)

15. THEORIES APPLIED IN SAGO MINE
COMMUNICATION PROCESS
Rescue
Team
Command
Center
1. Information
Acquisition Biased
2. Group Decision-
making Errors
Mass
Media
General
Publics
Families
Serial Reproduction Errors
Police
Clerg
y

16.  A statement from ICG’s web site
 Partial apology- the delay in notifying family members of the
confirmed dead miners.
 Excusing- “ There was never any intent to misinform, mislead or raise
false hopes.”
 An official statement by ICG’s chairman
 Partial apology- Show sympathy and regret
 Compensation
 Explain their consequence management: cooperate with government
STRATEGIES ON CRISIS RESPONSE
Framing – highlight their good will, and
avoid to mention company’s weaknesses

17.  Social marketing-
Coal Mine Safety issue
 Government’s new safety
regulations:
 Electronic tracking of miners
underground
 Faster emergency response
 Storage of additional air
supplies in mines
 Arousing the general
public’s awareness of mining
safety
INFLUENCES AFTER THE SAGO MINE…

18. "Hi, Deb and Sara. I'm still
OK at 2:40 p.m.
I don't know what is going
on between here and
outside. We don't hear any
attempts at drilling or
rescue. The section is full of
smoke and fumes, so we
can't escape. I just want you
and Sara to know I love you
both and always have. Be
strong and I hope no one
else has to show you this
note. I'm in no pain, but
don't know how long the air
will last."

19. Thank You! Any Comments?