Getting Trapped!

Have you ever been trapped? There are many incidents of getting trapped such as in a toilet, drawer, or even underwater. It can be a scary and tragic experience. Apparently, there was a very well-know accident in a mine in Chile.

           On August 5th, 2010, the miners at San Jose Mine, San Lorenzo, were taking a break. There was a slight tremor on the ground, but nobody seemed to care. The shaking got bigger and bigger, and soon the ground above them was shaking. There was an earthquake, and a stone pillar came loose. The ground started to collapse, and the miners frantically escaped to the safety bunker. 33 miners got trapped 770 meters underground because the exit was blocked by piles of dirt.

Inside the bunker, there were extremely sparse supplies. There was no light and barely any necessities such as water and food. During the interview, one miner said that he had to drink dirty water and eat rotten snacks to survive. They almost died, but the news spread out all over the world, and people sent money to help the miners survive. With the help of engineers, they were able to dig a funnel and send down fresh food. The miners were able to eat healthy food again. Also, they sent messages to their families, telling them they’re okay.

           Meanwhile, people were trying to rescue the miners. Scientists tried to find a solution to get to the bunker. After several weeks, they made up a plan and started to drill down. Four weeks later, they finally reached 770 meters deep and found the bunker. They opened the bunker, and surprisingly, all of the miners were alive. The miners were escorted to the hospital, and a few days later they were able to go back to their normal life again. Some miners said they cannot believe what happened to them, and they thanked the people who helped them get rescued. At last, the miners were able to meet their family and friends again.

The news of Chile mine accident was shared all over the world. It was an unfortunate accident, but with the help of many people, all of them survived. It was interesting to see the positive effects of caring for other people. It showed how many people can solve a serious problem together.