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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Thursday, May 18, 2000, a 30 year old front-end loader operator, with seven years of mining experience, was loading rock binder material above a coal seam in preparation for the removal of the uncovered coal. The front-end loader bucket penetrated a 20-inch diameter, high pressure, public utility, natural gas transmission line. The front-end loader became engulfed in flames resulting in serious burns to the loader operator. The victim died the following day from the extensive burns he had received.

Fatalgram Photo

Best Practices

  • No excavation work should be done near gas transmission lines without knowing exactly where the line is located.

  • Adequate on-shift examinations should be conducted to determine that gas transmission lines are not contacted while excavation work is in progress in the area.

  • Mine maps shall be kept up-to-date to reflect any changes in gas transmission line and well locations.
More Information
E-mail Suggestion for Accident Prevention Program 		Submit your own suggestion for a remedy to prevent this type of accident in the future.
Please specify if you wish your submission to be anonymous or whether your name may be used. Please include the year of the fatality and the fatality number.


This is the thirteenth fatality reported in calendar year 2000 in the coal mining industry. As of this date in 1999, there were thirteen fatalities. This is the first ignition fatality reported in the coal mining industry in 2000. There were no ignition fatalities reported in 1999.

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This bulletin is part of the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) program to alert the mining industry in a timely manner of a tragic loss of life in the mines. We encourage you to consider the above information as you make safety decisions for or recommendations to your company or constituency. The information provided in this notice is based on preliminary data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality.

For more information:
Fatal Alert Bulletin Icon MSHA's Fatal Accident Investigation Report



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