Washington, D.C ? Rescuers who helped pull victims out of the Sago and Aracoma mines criticized federal mine rules Thursday and said they were still waiting to be interviewed by government investigators who have not yet turned to them for insight into the January accidents.

Waiting to contribute to and learn more about the investigations has been difficult, the rescuers said during a visit to Capitol Hill that coincided with Senate hearings into mine safety.

The rescuers criticized a federal requirement that rescue teams be within two hours of mines. They said teams should be much closer than that and should be assigned to specific mines so they could comfortably navigate them during accidents when conditions might be dark and smoky.

The rescuers declined to talk about their experience inside the Sago and Aracoma Coal Alma No. 1 mines, citing the continuing investigations into the accidents in West Virginia in January. One person survived and 12 people were killed at Sago, and two were killed in the fire at the Aracoma mine.