METAL/NONMETAL MINE FATALITY - On June 7, 1997, an electrical supervisor with 4½ years of mining experience received severe burn injuries at a copper operation. A 480 volt circuit breaker had tripped and when the victim put his test leads across the terminals of the breaker, it exploded. He died the next day from his injuries. This is the 34th fatality reported in calendar year 1997 in the metal and nonmetal mining industries. As of this date in 1996, there were 24 fatalities reported in these industries. This is the 3rd fatality classified as electrical in 1997. There was one electrical fatality during the same period in 1996.

MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report [FTL97M34]