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SANTAQUIN — Four college students remained hospitalized Monday, a day after being burned while dropping gasoline and Molotov cocktails into an abandoned mine shaft.
Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon says that the students were in the Tintic mining district near state Route 6 when the accident happened Saturday night or Sunday morning.
We're encouraging people not to do it. The potential for problems and injury are there.
–Jim Springer
Meanwhile, the practice of "mine bombing" was criticized Monday by mine officials.
"I was actually awe struck this morning," said Utah Bureau of Land Management spokesman Mitch Snow who said he was not aware of the practice until he heard about it Monday. "I couldn't imagine what would be going on in a person's mind to do that. It's like, 'Oh let's throw a Molotav cocktail at a gas station and see what happens.'"
A total of 12 people, mainly BYU students, were injured Sunday while dropping gasoline down an abandoned mine shaft and igniting it. Several gallons of gasoline were reportedly tipped over on the grate at the entrance of the mine, creating an unexpected fireball.
Deputies say this happened in an area that is a popular spot for college students to play with fire. Previously law enforcement would cite offenders with misdemeanor citations. Now they recommend felonies, saying incidents like these could be fatal.
Several videos can be found on YouTube of college-aged people throwing Molotov cocktails or pouring gasoline down abandoned mine shafts and igniting them with flares or fireworks. Several of the videos, dating back to 2006, were allegedly shot in Utah and some claim to involve BYU students.
The mine entrances are closed with criss-crossing rebar across the front. Students stand on the rebar and drop the fire and gasoline through the openings. Once the Molotov cocktail hits the mine wall or the bottom, it can create a fireball.
But neither the Utah County Sheriff's Office nor state mine officials could say how common the practice is.
"We've seen the YouTube videos for the past couple of years," said State Division of Oil, Gas and Mines spokesman Jim Springer. "I wouldn't say it's particularly widespread."
But officials warn that what may seem like harmless fun has the potential to be extremely dangerous.
"We've been telling people to stay out and stay away (from abandoned mines) for years," said Snow.
Among the many dangers abandoned mines present are the possible build-up of methane gas in the mine shaft or unused explosives.
"I would hate to imagine what would have happened (if there was methane gas on Sunday). They wouldn't be around to be in the hospital," he said.
Springer said there are approximately 17,000 abandoned mines throughout Utah. Several thousand of them have been closed. But many of those are not completely sealed. Because of the presence of bats and other wildlife, a grate system is placed at many of those entrances.
It is impossible for officials to monitor 17,000 abandoned mine shafts and Springer adds there really isn't much authorities can do to prevent mine bombing except to make people aware of the potential dangers.
"We're encouraging people not to do it. The potential for problems and injury are there," he said.
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Written by Pat Reavy with contributions from Adrew Adams.
