COAL MINE FATALITY - On Wednesday, November 20, 1996,
the section crew were engaged in retreat mining. The continuous mining
machine was attacking the pillar left off of the No. 1 entry with a
shuttle car positioned behind. Four miners were in the area of the
continuous mining machine. A roof bolting machine operator was
installing curtain near the breaker posts in the No. 2 entry. A
second roof bolting machine operator and a scoop operator were working
in the No. 3 entry. A violent outburst (bump) of the coal pillars
occurred, killing the two roof bolting machine operators and injuring
four of the other miners.
This is the 34th and 35th coal mine fatalities in 1996. As of
November 20, of last year, there had been 40 fatalities. These deaths
are the third and fourth classified as FALL OF RIB in 1996 and the
second and third caused by an outburst.
Diagram of the Accident Scene
For more information:
 MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL96C34]
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