COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday March 23, 2000, a
pumper/electrician, who had been working alone, was found submerged in six feet
of water at an underground sump. The victim did not come out of the mine at the
end of his shift and was not found until 5 hours later, during the next shift.
The results of an autopsy determined that the cause of death was drowning.
Best Practices
This is the eighth fatality reported in calendar year 2000 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 1999, there were eight fatalities. The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality. For more information: MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report |