Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Two More Miners Killed In Separate Accidents

This brings the total to 34 for the year.
Miner killed at ICG mine in West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A miner was killed Wednesday in an equipment accident underground at an International Coal Group mine in Harrison County, the state Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training said.

The state was notified about 2:40 p.m. of the accident at the Sycamore II mine near Jarvisville, said administrator Terry Farley. The mine is owned by ICG’s Wolf Run Mining Co.

Wednesday’s fatality brings the number of coal mining deaths this year to 19 in West Virginia and 33 nationwide. Thirteen of the state’s fatalities have been at ICG operations.

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration has cited the Sycamore mine 49 times since January. The violations range from having the proper guards on machinery to controlling coal dust. The company has been assessed $4,494 in federal penalties since 2005 and has paid $1,520.
ICG (International Coal Group) is the same company that owned the Sago mine, where 12 miners were killed in January.

And then there was this, yesterday:
Mine worker dies; sixth fatality in 4 days

FRANKFORT - Another fatality has occurred at an Eastern Kentucky mine.

Steven T. Bryant, 23, of Louisa, was killed today went the water truck he was driving at a Breathitt County mountaintop coal mine went over an embankment and crashed, said Nikki Ploskonka, a spokeswoman for the state Environmental and Protection Cabinet.