Sago climbing habit; the leaves are pinnate. Each palm trunk produces a single inflorescence at its tip at the end of its life. Sago palms are harvested at the age of 7–15 years, just before or shortly after the inflorescence appears and when the stems are full of starch stored for use in reproduction. One palm can yield 150–300 kg of starch. Sago is extracted from "Metroxylon" palms by splitting the stem lengthwise and removing the pith which is then crushed and kneaded to release the starch before being washed and strained to extract the starch from the fibrous residue. The
Sago Mine disaster do much else. I have no idea how much time went by before I also passed out from the gas and smoke, awaiting rescue." On January 5, notes written by some of the deceased miners were submitted to family members. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin arrived at the Sago site on January 2. Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito was also among the officials that joined the family members at the scene. The Mine Safety and Health Administration had approximately 25 people on the scene at any given time, according to the Agency's Web site. On March 11, 2006, the Associated Press