COAL MINE FATALITY -On Wednesday, June 26, 1996, the
continuous mining machine helper and a section foreman were observing the
remote control continuous mining machineas the machine operator directed
the machine in mining the final pushout on a pillar block. After mining
four shuttle cars of coal, the roof suddenly began to fall from the
crosscut right and into the intersection. The three miners ran from the
area. The foreman and miner helper cleared the intersection uninjured,
however the continuous mining machine operator was struck and killed by
the falling roof. Investigators are evaluating the roof stress potential
that might exist as a result of having left portions of some blocks of
coal unmined and the absence of a large pillar fall prior to the accident.
This is the 18th coal mine fatality in 1996. As of June 26 of last year
there had been 19 fatalities. This death is the first classified as FALL OF
ROOF in 1996.
Line drawing of the accident scene
For more information: 
MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL96C18]
