You're deep underground
when you hear an explosion.
Fire and debris
rain down on you.
You're alive but trapped,
hundreds of meters
below the surface of the Earth
with no way out.
You're low on food,
water, light and air.
At any moment,
you could be buried
under a shower of rubble.
Underground mines are deep.
Very deep.
While the average mine descends
about 300 m (1,000 ft),
there are some,
like uranium mines,
that can go
2,000 m (6,600 ft) into the earth.
Now that's deep.
Modern mines are more than
just a big hole in the ground.
They are made with ventilation
shafts to circulate oxygen
and clear out toxic fumes,
and water draining systems
to keep them dry.
Additional shafts are built
to accommodate
the transportation of equipment,
or for escape.
But when the unthinkable happens,
you could be trapped without
access to any of these.
Mines can collapse due to explosions
of methane gas
or coal dust,
or from landslides
caused by surface flooding.
And you do not want to be
at the bottom of one
when a cave-in occurs.
In the event of a mine collapse,
immediately reach for your
breathing apparatus.
Miners use a device called an SCSR,
or self-contained self-rescuer.
SCSRs can provide oxygen
and air filtration
for at least an hour,
which could allow you precious
time to hang a gas curtain
to keep out dangerous
chemicals and smoke.
SCSRs weigh about 7 pounds,
so not every miner carries
one on their person.
In the U.S.,
additional SCSRs are legally
required to be stored
throughout the mine.
Keep this device close by.
It could save your life.
If you haven't been crushed or
burned alive,
you'll need somewhere
safe to wait
until you can be rescued.
This may require you to go
further into the mine.
Don't be afraid
of heading into the darkness.
While it may seem dangerous,
it will be safer and more stable.
In August 2010,
33 Chilean miners became trapped
in the San Jose Mine
after it collapsed.
They set up a small
shelter near a tunnel.
They had meager supplies,
but through rationing
survived the first 17 days underground
before being contacted
by rescuers.
They were lucky to have
a chemical toilet for waste,
tuna,
cookies and milk
to keep them going.
No between-meal snacks.
Coal miners at the Sago Mine
in West Virginia
were not so lucky.
When 13 miners were trapped
underground in 2006 by an explosion,
they managed to hang a barrier
to keep out carbon monoxide.
Unfortunately,
smoke obstructed
the flow of air,
and only one miner survived
after the rest
of their crew suffocated.
In order to escape,
you will need to be rescued.
Most modern mines
are fitted with communication
networks,
but these may be damaged
or inaccessible
due to the collapse.
The Chilean miners were able
to alert rescuers
by sticking a note
to the head of an exploratory drill,
which rescuers then
found when they retracted it.
Rescuers were able to locate the miners
and provide them
with food and medical supplies,
as well as fiber optic cables
to call their loved ones.
In the case of the lone survivor
of the Sago Mine disaster
rescuers found him
by the sound of his moans.
However you make contact,
telling rescuers where you are
and that you're alive
despite the odds
are essential
to making it out
of the mine.
Once rescuers find you,
you may end up waiting days
or even weeks to be released.
Carefully ration your food,
and find ways to stave
off boredom.
Playing simple games
and cleaning the shelter area
can help.
You may experience intense
heat deeper in the mine,
so staying hydrated is vital.
Regular exercise can also help
save your life
in unexpected ways.
The Chilean miners
were placed on a rigid diet
by rescuers
to help them lose weight,
which made them smaller
and easier to extract
through a narrow shaft.
Getting out of the mine
will not be easy.
When the Chilean
miners were extracted,
they were loaded
into a torpedo-shaped
capsule created
specifically for rescue.
This was then pulled up through
a drilled shaft.
The capsule design protected
the miners in case
of the shaft collapsing.
Miners trapped in the Totten Mine
in Sudbury, Canada,
were stuck 1,200 m (4,000 ft)
underground
when a heavy piece of machinery
crashed and broke
the elevator shaft.
The miners had to climb out
using a series of ladders
placed by rescuers.
It took hours of climbing
spread out over three days
and required frequent rest.
Climb carefully.
The last thing you want
is to fall deeper into the mine.
Being trapped
underground is many
people's worst nightmare.
But if you're careful and prepared,
you substantially increase
your chances of survival.
Being trapped in a mine
would be bad enough,
but what about being buried alive?
Is there any way
to dig yourself out?
Find out more here
on How to Survive.