2010 Copiapó mining accident San Jose Mine were around 20% higher than at other Chilean mines due to its poor safety record. The collapse occurred at 14:00 CLT on 5 August 2010. Access to the depths of the mine was by a long helical roadway. A group nearer the entrance escaped, but a second group of 33 men were trapped deep inside. A thick dust cloud caused by the rock fall blinded the miners for as much as six hours. Initially, the trapped miners tried to escape through ventilation shafts, but the ladders required by safety codes were missing. Luis Urzúa, the duty shift
2010 Copiapó mining accident to their common goal. "You just have to speak the truth and believe in democracy", he said. "Everything was voted on; we were 33 men, so 16 plus one was a majority." 54-year-old Urzúa was the last man out after 70 long days trapped below the Atacama desert. Following the collapse of the mine on 5 August, he had dispatched men to find out what had happened and see if escape was possible, but they could not find an exit route. "We were trying to find out what we could do and what we could not", said Urzúa. "Then we