By Lilia Lopez After more than a week of searching for 65 men trapped in a coal mine in the state of Coahuila, officials finally called off the rescue effort and declared the men dead on Saturday, Feb 27. The miners became trapped on Feb 19 after a gas explosion filled the mine with debris such as wood, steel and dirt. Only on Saturday did officials admit that at the time of the explosion, the Pasta de Conchos mine, located San Juan de Las Sabinas, likely filled with lethal levels of carbon monoxide and methane with temperatures reaching over 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Each miner carried only enough stored oxygen to last six hours. The cancellation of further rescue attempts was a sharp blow to the miners’ families that have been holding vigil outside the mine, waiting for news about their loved ones since the since the accident occurred. Adding to the controversy was the fact that President Vicente Fox did not visit the mine during the weeklong ordeal. Fox’s people are also refuting claims that the President’s office discouraged local officials from being more forthcoming with information that the miners likely died immediately after the explosion. Coahuila’s governor, Humberto Moreri accused federal officials of muzzling him, not allowing him to relate the unfortunate news to the miners’ families. In addition, stating, “the authorities treated the people in an inhuman way and told them they had to hope for a miracle when technically it was clear there was no possibility of life.” Fox’s spokesman, Roberto Aguilar, responded, “At no point was information refused.” The mine where the accident occurred is owned by Grupo Mexico, one of Mexico’s largest companies and the world’s third largest mining company. Immediately after the accident occurred, the company was accused of negligence, that it ignored safety concerns. Grupo Mexico continues to deny these allegations and has promised to pay compensation of about $70,000 to each miner’s family. Just weeks after the accident, more than a quarter of a million mine and steelworkers walked off the job between March 1-3 to go on strike at 70 companies throughout central and northern Mexico. Although the strike is now over, many industry analysts are predicting the incident will have long-lasting effects for the mining and steel sectors. Sources: The Washington Post, Reuters