SAFE AT LAST

Three Rescued From West Virginia Coal Mine After Being Trapped for Five Days

Gov. Jim Justice hails rescue as a “Christmas blessing.”

Three people have been rescued after becoming trapped in a West Virginia coal mine on Saturday. The West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training said all three were brought out of the mine safely, had been reunited with their families, and had been checked out at hospital. “It’s a Christmas blessing, that’s all there is to it,” said West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice. The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office named the three as Kayla Williams, 25, Erica Treadway, 31, and Cody Beverly, 21—a fourth person, Eddie Williams, 43, managed to escape from the mine Monday evening. Kayla Williams was seen crying and hugging family members, while Beverly said the experience was “terrible.” Beverly’s grandfather Greg Scarbro said: “I was trying to figure out how I was going to bury my grandson... I’m telling you the truth... but thanks be unto God, he came through.” Officials have said the group went into the cave in search of copper wire. Rescuers had to travel more than 4,000 feet into the mine before locating the trio on Wednesday evening.