Buffalo creek disaster
Buffalo Creek Disaster
YE HAO
GBL395 Summer 2014
Synopsis:
One of the most significant mining disaster happened at a little valley that located in Buffalo count, West Virginia in February 1972. The disaster cause by a dam corruption which was used to block black water produced in mining procedures. The flood break out from the fallen dam and rush out the 17 mile valley below it, killed more than 100 people, 1000 people injured and more than 4000 people were homeless. The disaster quickly gain the attention from the author of the book, Gerald M. Stern, also was a attorney who just finished representing African American in the south. Stern was shocked by this man-made disaster and decided to represent the survivors.
Stern and victims of the disaster thought that the owner of the dam, Buffalo mining company and its owner, Pittston company are responsible for this disaster. They plan to sue Pittston in federal court instead of suing Buffalo mining company in Virginia court because of their power of influence in West Virginia. After visiting survivor from NY to West Virginia for gathering information and made enough preparation. Stern and his group successfully put the case in federal court and sued Pittston for 32.5 million for around 400 survivor who had taken physical damage or psychological hurt in the disaster.
After the debate in court and bargain, finally Stern and the survivor he represented got 13.5 million settle, which Stern was not satisfied but still marked as a victory for the weak.
Same as Stern, I don’t think 13.5 million is enough to recover the property lose of people in Buffalo creek, and, more importantly, suffer from losing family in the disaster. But this is still a victory for victim of disaster and a presence of judgment. The management of Pittston and Buffalo mining company are definitively the main cause of the disaster. They did nothing to prevent the occurence of any hazard events, even
YE HAO
GBL395 Summer 2014
Synopsis:
One of the most significant mining disaster happened at a little valley that located in Buffalo count, West Virginia in February 1972. The disaster cause by a dam corruption which was used to block black water produced in mining procedures. The flood break out from the fallen dam and rush out the 17 mile valley below it, killed more than 100 people, 1000 people injured and more than 4000 people were homeless. The disaster quickly gain the attention from the author of the book, Gerald M. Stern, also was a attorney who just finished representing African American in the south. Stern was shocked by this man-made disaster and decided to represent the survivors.
Stern and victims of the disaster thought that the owner of the dam, Buffalo mining company and its owner, Pittston company are responsible for this disaster. They plan to sue Pittston in federal court instead of suing Buffalo mining company in Virginia court because of their power of influence in West Virginia. After visiting survivor from NY to West Virginia for gathering information and made enough preparation. Stern and his group successfully put the case in federal court and sued Pittston for 32.5 million for around 400 survivor who had taken physical damage or psychological hurt in the disaster.
After the debate in court and bargain, finally Stern and the survivor he represented got 13.5 million settle, which Stern was not satisfied but still marked as a victory for the weak.
Same as Stern, I don’t think 13.5 million is enough to recover the property lose of people in Buffalo creek, and, more importantly, suffer from losing family in the disaster. But this is still a victory for victim of disaster and a presence of judgment. The management of Pittston and Buffalo mining company are definitively the main cause of the disaster. They did nothing to prevent the occurence of any hazard events, even