BUCKHANNON, W.VA. -- Choked with emotion, but resolved to get answers, family and friends of the 12 miners who died in West Virginia's Sago Mine four months ago shared their grief and frustration at the beginning of a two-day hearing into the disaster yesterday.

Families of the 12 men entered the gymnasium at West Virginia Wesleyan College, walking single file to five rows of chairs at the front of the building.

Large black-and-white photos of the 12 dead miners lined the rear of the stage, and ranks of long tables at which officials sat were covered with floor-length black cloth.

Celtic music was played as the families entered -- a request by the families, state officials said. Most family members wore specially designed white jerseys with the words "In Memory" on the back next to the names of the dead men, printed around a cross.

The relatives stepped one by one to the microphone to talk about their lost sons, husbands, fathers, brothers and fiances.

"Because of this tragedy, my life is never going to be the same," said Debbie Hamner, wife of Sago miner George Junior Hamner, echoing the sentiment of several others.

"The only peace of mine that I may find is when the real truth surrounding the Sago Mine disaster is uncovered. All I'm left with right now is questions."

As promised by J. Davitt McAteer, chairman for the hearing, the session gave families an unprecedented forum to publicly describe what they've been through since the first reports of an explosion with trapped miners on Jan. 2.

Family members used the opportunity to set a somber tone for the hearing, alternately giving memorial service remembrances and sternly asking questions that have weighed on them the past four months.

How did lightning get behind the seals to ignite the methane, asked Peggy Cohen, daughter of Fred Ware Jr., who said her family cries every day.

"Was it properly checked for a fire hazard? Was there documentation of updated training? Did our Dad have his own SCSR [emergency breathing device]? Why did it take so long to rescue our Dad and the other miners?"

And, finally: "Did our Dad have to die? Those are a few of the questions we have. Twelve men, good family men, lost their lives and we deserve answers to our questions."

Evident throughout was the pain and anger friends and family still feel, knowing their men had to endure hours of fruitlessly waiting for rescue as their oxygen slowly ran out.

"We know our men were underground and taking turns beating on the roof bolts, so someone would hear them," said a trembling Charlotte Weaver, who'd been married to Jack for 13 years.

"But, guess what? No one was listening."

In the ensuing weeks, the questions -- made all the worse by early, incorrect reports that the miners were found alive -- have hardened to crisp interrogation.

Russell Bennett, whose father Marty also died at Sago, said "There are many things that went wrong." He zeroed in on the rescue effort, which took 41 hours and found only one surviving miner.

"The response time was unacceptable. The decision to wait, to not go in because of carbon monoxide in the returns, that's unacceptable."

Fighting back tears, Pam Campbell, sister-in-law of Marty Bennett, said, "They tried to escape and when they could not escape, they went back to where they had air and they barricaded themselves the way they were taught. They beat on the roof bolts and nobody listened. They waited for the blasts from the surface, and those blasts never came."

The miners' ordeal was described in stark detail as Ann Meredith, daughter of James Bennett, read her father's last writings.

At 11 a.m., more than four hours after they were trapped, he wrote in a note that "we have air right now but the smoke is bad," adding "tell Mom I love her."

Then, at 3:06 p.m.: "The air is bad. I don't know how long we can last." And, finally at 4:25: "I love you," before struggling to write the word "Monday."

The families also noted individual, special moments lost.

James Bennett was three months shy of retirement when he died, after which he planned to travel with his wife and enjoy his seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Virginia Moore said she and Terry Helms planned to marry this summer. With Mr. Helms' daughter, Amber, standing beside her holding photographs of her father, Ms. Moore said, "Without Terry there is half of my heart gone because he made it whole."

More than anything, the families made it clear they want explanations -- and action.

"We will not allow you to leave one stone unturned or let the truth go unheard," said Samantha Lewis, whose husband Dave died at Sago. Her comment drew applause from the audience.

John Groves, who lost his brother Jerry Lee Groves, probably spoke for all the families when he addressed the West Virginia legislators present.

"We're not going to let this rest. We know this can be corrected and it needs to be done immediately, and it's on you to make the changes. Every day that does by, we have a chance for another disaster."