Coal mining deaths reach 31, highest since 2001

Coal mining deaths reach 31, highest since 2001

New York (Platts)--23May2006

The death toll in US coal mines this year climbed to 31 over the weekend when
five miners died early Saturday morning in an underground explosion at Darby
Mine No. 1 in Holmes Mill, Harlan County, Kentucky. One miner survived.

On Monday, Mine Safety and Health Administration Acting Administrator David
Dye said the agency will reassess the structural integrity of existing
alternative seals and will require testing of the atmosphere behind the seals.
For seals with structural issues in which the atmosphere behind them is
potentially explosive, MSHA will require additional precautions.

MSHA also ordered a moratorium on new construction of alternative seals under
the 1992 standard. Dye ordered district managers not to approve requests to
construct alternative seals in underground mines, effective immediately.

"MSHA will require that coal-mine operators immediately examine the structural
integrity of all of their alternative seals and test the atmosphere behind
these seals to protect against hazardous conditions for miners," Dye said. "In
addition, MSHA is issuing a temporary moratorium on the construction of
alternative seals to protect America's underground coal miners following the
second disaster this year in which these seals failed to withstand an
explosion. Until we have answers to our critical questions about the safety of
these seals, as approved under the 1992 alternative seals standard, coal-mine
operators who wish to seal worked-out areas will have to use solid,
concrete-block seals, as specified in the regulations."

The temporary moratorium will remain in place until further tests of
alternative seals can be conducted to determine the seals' ability to
withstand explosive forces under various conditions.

Mine rescue team members responding to the Darby mine reported that the
alternative seals used in that mine failed to withstand the explosion.
Preliminary indications that the seals used at the mine were compromised by
the blast are of utmost concern to MSHA, Dye said.

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher on Monday ordered all underground mines to
conduct daily methane and oxygen testing at non-conventional mine seals.
Testing will include readings both inside and outside the sealed area.

Coal mine deaths highest since 2001

The deaths bring the US number to the highest since 2001 when 42 deaths were
reported, according to Mine Safety and Health Administration records. Ten of
those deaths have been in Kentucky this year. In contrast, 2005 was the lowest
since at least 1995 with 22 deaths nationwide.

The cause of the blast at the mine operated by Kentucky Darby and owned by
John North and Ralph Napier was not known, MSHA spokeswoman Amy Louviere told
Platts Monday. A preliminary report was not available yet.

The mine was being ventilated because pockets of methane gas inside remained a
danger, said Mark York, spokesman for the Kentucky Environmental and Public
Protection Cabinet. Once the gas is removed, investigators will inspect the
site of the explosion.

Thomas Light will head the MSHA investigation. Light is MSHA's assistant
district manager in New Stanton, Pennsylvania.

MSHA and the Kentucky Office of Mine Safety and Licensing, an agency of the
Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet, will investigate the accident.
The investigation will begin once the mine has been made safe and ventilation
repaired so investigators can work without oxygen, MSHA spokesman Dirk Fillpot
said.

Preliminary evidence suggested methane may have leaked from a sealed-off
portion of the mine, mixed with oxygen and then something caused it to ignite,
Fletcher said.

Response to the accident was very quick, Fillpot told Platts. Tapes will be
reviewed to ensure the accident was reported within 15 minutes as required
under new MSHA emergency temporary standards that went into effect March 9.

One miner survives

Some of the dead miners had donned breathing devices after the explosion and
tried to climb to safety, federal investigators said. Four of them were found
close together but could not confirm whether they had used breathing devices.

The only survivor, Paul Ledford, was closer to the mine's exit than his
co-workers, Fletcher said. Ledford was about 15 feet from the mine's exit when
he came across rescuers on their way in to search, officials said.

Ledford was treated at Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and
released. He has burns to his face and chest.

There were unconfirmed reports that the miners' self-contained self-rescuers
did not work and that Ledford's only functioned for about five minutes.

"The survivor of the Darby No. 1 mine explosion informed MSHA investigators
that his SCSR functioned properly and that the used it throughout his escape
from the mine," Dye said. "Rescue workers who encountered the survivor during
his escape independently corroborated that the survivor was using his SCSR
when they encountered him."

Authorities identified the victims as Amon Brock of Closplint; Jimmy Lee of
Wallins Creek; Roy Middleton, 35, of Evarts; George Petra, 49, of Kenvir; and
Paris Thomas Jr., 53, also of Evarts, all in Kentucky.

Middleton, Petra and Thomas likely survived the initial blast but died of
carbon monoxide poisoning, Harlan County Coroner Philip Bianchi said based on
preliminary autopsy results. Brock and Lee died from multiple blunt force
trauma and heat injuries, probably because they were closer to the blast.

-- Mark E. Heckathorn, mark_heckathorn@platts.com

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