A different side of the story

To the Editor:

I was distressed in reading your article of Jan. 31 "Troy Mine at fault for Libby miners death."

I will be the first to admit I don't know anything about unstable ground support or roof bolters. But I do know plenty about the careless slant most of your article took.

Your article gives the impression that Cole Anderson's truck was blocking Mike Ivins truck from leaving the mine area but what the report didn't say was that Ivins had ample space to get around Anderson's truck at all times. Granted he would have needed to run over an electrical cord, which he likely would have done had he felt he was in danger. No one can know what Ivins was thinking but considering the type person everyone said Mike Ivins was he was most likely waiting to be sure the crew got out before thinking of his own safety.

The signaling Ivins was doing was showing Anderson that rock had just fallen in the very spot where Anderson had just been standing which was beside Ivins truck.

Your article also implies that Anderson was driving the truck that you allege hit Josh Peterson injuring him. It failed to mention that Anderson was not driving his truck; his truck was hit by falling rock and thrown over 10 feet slamming into the mine wall.

I met Allen Layer Aug. 9 in the hospital after he and Anderson were injured and several times over the course of the summer. He told me that if it weren't for Cole Anderson, he and Peterson would not have survived the accident. As rock began to fall and Anderson heard the ceiling crack he ran deeper into the mine yelling to Layer and Peterson, his crew members, to get out.

Your article also states that Peterson and Layer received emergency care as a result of the incident. However, your article failed to mention that Anderson and Layer (not Peterson) were both taken by ambulance to Libby Hospital for treatment. Anderson's injuries required extensive surgery and he is still, six months later, not released by his doctors to return to work.

I'm not sure where you got your information but it seems careless on your part not to dig a little deeper before you hurt the reputations of men and their families who are still hurting from a tragedy that will undoubtedly haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Camden Anderson DeMart

Aiken, South Carolina