A Quarter-Century Later: Recounting the Brookwood Mine Disaster

The book, titled Fifty-Five Minutes at No. 5, aims to restore the event to national memory, a narrative Srivastav felt had been largely overshadowed by the September 11 attacks occurring just twelve days prior. By avoiding fictionalized dialogue or speculative internal monologues, the work relies strictly on official investigation reports and established evidence to reconstruct the timeline.

To complement the text, Srivastav launched a digital portal, 55at5.com, featuring a tool called Ask the Record. This interactive beta feature allows users to query specific details regarding the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s 2002 investigation and subsequent enforcement decisions. The tool provides referenced responses derived from primary records, offering a transparent look into the regulatory findings that followed the disaster. While Srivastav utilized technology to organize and draft the material, he emphasizes that the project serves as a research aid rather than a substitute for official legal documentation.