Coal Tattoo

Another W.Va. coal miner dies on the job

Bad news this morning here in West Virginia. Here’s all the information we have right now, from the state Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training:

A move crew employee died this morning at approximately 4 a.m. from crushing injuries he received at Coal River Mining LLC Fork Creek #10 Mine.  He was 35 years old, and had 1 year and 14 weeks experience, all at this mine. The mine is in Boone County. 

Coal River Mining is controlled by James O. Bunn and Franklin D. Robertson.

This makes 12 coal-mining deaths in 2012 nationwide, and this is the third in West Virginia.

UPDATED:  We just got this additional information in from MSHA —

At approximately 4:15 a.m., a midnight shift move crew member received fatal crushing injuries when he was reportedly caught between the conveyor boom of the continuous mining machine and the right rib in the number four entry on the No. 2 Section. It appears that the continuous mining machine was being set-up for the day shift when the accident occurred.  The continuous mining machine was apparently being trammed from the number 4 right crosscut backwards, down the number 4 entry.

UPDATED: The miner has been identified as Johnny Mack Bryant II of Lenore, W.Va.