One dead in West Virginia coal mine roof collapse

One miner has been killed and two others injured in an accident at a West Virginia coal mine.

The accident occurred at Murray Energy Corp.’s Marshall County coal mine on Sunday, the company said in a statement. A manager was killed, while two other workers were taken to hospital for observation.

"Initial reports indicate the cause of the incident was a fall of roof and rib on the 12 East longwall face,” the state’s Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training said in a statement.

“Three miners were involved. Forty-five-year-old Assistant Longwall Coordinator John Garloch was fatally injured, and two other miners were injured and transported to local hospitals for treatment. One of those miners has been released; the other remains hospitalized. The company reports the incident occurred at 9:00 p.m. at the Cameron Portal. The investigation report will be forthcoming."

The death was the first fatality this year at a West Virginia coal mine and the third in the US. There were 16 deaths in 2014.

Written Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/mining/10032015/one-dead-in-west-virginia-coal-mine-roof-collapse-coal2038/