CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The body of a coal miner was discovered early Thursday within Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc.’s Rolling Thunder Mine, near Belva, roughly 50 miles east of Charleston. This unfortunate incident occurred after a mining crew encountered an unforeseen pocket of water last Saturday, approximately three-quarters of a mile into the mine, leading to a significant flooding situation caused by a compromised old mine wall, as stated by Governor Patrick Morrisey. Fortunately, over a dozen other miners were safely accounted for once the accident was reported.
This tragic death marks the third fatality at an Alpha facility in West Virginia within this year alone. Previous incidents included a miner being struck by a testing elevator at a processing site in August and another contractor being crushed by a falling coal seam in February at the company’s Black Eagle underground operations, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Search and rescue operations involved drilling holes in the mine to accelerate the search and deploying dive teams to explore potential air pockets within the water. The National Cave Rescue Commission assisted by providing special communication devices to enhance underground interaction.
Rolling Thunder stands as one of 11 underground mines operated by Alpha Metallurgical Resources in West Virginia, alongside four surface mines. A consulting report from February noted a wealth of historical data regarding the area, which had been thoroughly explored by previous mining operators.
This tragic death marks the third fatality at an Alpha facility in West Virginia within this year alone. Previous incidents included a miner being struck by a testing elevator at a processing site in August and another contractor being crushed by a falling coal seam in February at the company’s Black Eagle underground operations, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Search and rescue operations involved drilling holes in the mine to accelerate the search and deploying dive teams to explore potential air pockets within the water. The National Cave Rescue Commission assisted by providing special communication devices to enhance underground interaction.
Rolling Thunder stands as one of 11 underground mines operated by Alpha Metallurgical Resources in West Virginia, alongside four surface mines. A consulting report from February noted a wealth of historical data regarding the area, which had been thoroughly explored by previous mining operators.
