Man Survives 500-Foot Fall Into Coal Mine

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A man who survived a 500-foot fall into an inactive Pennsylvania coal mine says he doesn't remember much about the ordeal.

Police say 23-year-old Nathan Bowman was trespassing on coal company property Friday when he slipped and fell into the Springdale Pit. The inactive mine is about 700 feet deep, 3,000 feet long and 1,500 feet wide.

Bowman says in a phone interview with The Associated Press that he broke his collarbone and tailbone and suffered injuries to his wrist and ankle. He says he's in a lot of pain.

Bowman sounded groggy as he spoke Monday from his hospital bed. Asked how he's doing, he said: "I'm still alive."