BCOM/275
Disaster Strikes a Chilean Mine On August 5, 2010, employees of Minera San Esteban Primera woke up, stretched out, bathed, ate breakfast, and walked around their assuredly modest homes. They said their casual goodbyes to family as they headed off to yet another dark day at work deep in the San Jose copper mine in northern Chile. Little did they know it would be the last time for nearly two months they would see the light of day. These same blessings of life they most likely took for granted earlier that day - to be able to stretch out, to bathe, to eat, and to walk around in the comfort of their own homes - would be taken from them unexpectedly later that same day. Some time around the …show more content…
This was a story that was bigger than the color of one's skin, the language one speaks, or the country one calls home. This was a story about the love of mankind, about teamwork, about sacrifice, and about the basic struggle for survival. Final score: Mankind-1, Adversity-0.
References
Barrionuevo, A. (2011). Chile Mining Accident (2010). http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/chile_mining_accident_2010/index.html
Hughes, H. (2010). 33 Trapped Chilean Miners Found Alive, But Could Be Stuck 4 Months. http://abcnews.go.com/International/33-trapped-chilean-miners-found-alive-stuck-months/story?id=11457872
Weik, J. (2010). Over 30 workers trapped after Chilean copper mine collapse. Metal Bulletin Daily, (224), 65.
Memo to Families of Employees of Minera San Esteban Primera
To Whom It May Concern, As President and CEO of this company I feel a personal responsibility to each and every one of our employees as well as to the welfare of their families. It is with deep concern for each of them and for each of you that I write this memo to inform you of a developing situation. Mid-day today (August 5, 2010) there was an accident in the San Jose mine. The upper galleries of the mine collapsed. 33 of our miners are still unaccounted for. We want to assure you that we are doing everything within our means and ability to expedite relief efforts. At this time of unprecedented disaster we pray for you as well as for the miners. If