Page 33 The story topped the news for days Around 170 men managed to escape and avoid death Four would per ish Mine rescue crews worked frantically for 27 hours to reach a young man buried un der tons of solid rock struggling mightily to hang on Falconbridge president Bill James was among those who toiled underground that day in an attempt to rescue this miner who had miraculously avoided instant death When the mine rescue teams discovered that one of their fellow min ers was still alive they managed to snake a small line of oxygen through the mass of boulders some weigh ing several tons into the tiny area in which he was encased At one poin t James and the others were able to communicate with him Hang on buddy you hang on were coming to get you I looked down at my microphone in the ra dio newsbooth One of my coworkers handed me a sheet of paper from the newswire ma chine an update from Falconbridge Just ten minutes earlier mine rescuers believed they would be able to pull the young man to safety another smaller rockburst occurred above him It fnished what the frst fall of rock had started I stared in disbelief at the name I cried unbelievably hard and couldnt read that hour s newscast He was 22 going on 23 Mine Rescuers work 27 hours