MADISON -
According to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, the eigth miner this year has died on the job.
The fatality occurred at Alpha's Liberty Processing Plant, operated by Independence Coal Company, in Madison. According to the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training the miner, a mechanic, was Clyde W. Dolin, 57, of Danville. Dolin was pronounced dead at Boone Memorial Hospital.
He had 39 years mining experience, including 13 at this plant.
According to the MSHA, the fatality occurred at approximately noon today. A release from the agency said that District 4 personnel has responded to the accident where the miner reportedly fell three stories near the elevator in the preparation plant.
An investigation will ensue and a 103k order to withdraw miners from the mine was issued.
Independence Coal is a legacy Massey property acquired by Alpha Natural Resources in their $8.5 billion buyout of the company. Massey Energy has since been criticized by national and state regulators for unsafe mining practices.
MSHA's mine data retrieval system shows the mine has not had a prior fatality since 2002, though 19 operator injuries had been reported at the mine in the same period. The operator received 27 104(a) citations from MSHA last year.
According to multiple reports, including a sustainability report released last week, Alpha has been in the process of bringing its "Running Right" safety programs to Massey Energy mines.
This is the second death to occur at an Alpha Natural Resources mine this year.
In March, Jeremy Sigler, 34, section foreman at the underground Kingston No. 2 mine owned by Alpha Natural Resources, was struck by a rock underground while operating a continuous mining machine.
Co-workers attempts to resuscitate Sigler were unsuccessful.
The death at Kingston was not the only incident at the Alpha-owned subsidiary in recent history. On Oct. 11, 2010, another coal miner died at the Kingston No. 1 mine due to a roof fall.
Last year, six coal miners died in West Virginia. About 21 coal miners died on the job in work-related accidents in 2011.
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