At approximately 8:55 a.m., on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, David Sizemore, roof bolting machine operator, was fatally injured and Marvin Music, mining machine operator, received non-life threatening injuries when a portion of the mine roof and rib collapsed. The accident occurred while Music was operating a remotely controlled continuous mining machine loading coal and rock into a shuttle car. Both miners were in the #7 Entry about 17.5 feet outby the last row of permanently installed roof support. Sizemore was standing closely behind Music talking and observing the operation. Rock fell from the mine roof and rib between the right rib and three installed 72 inch torque tension roof bolts. One of the roof bolts broke at the time of the fall. The portion of the mine roof and rib that fell, striking both miners, measured approximately 6 feet long and was 3 feet wide at the inby end and 19 inches wide at the outby end by up to 14 inches thick.
Fatality #8 - April 22, 2008
COAL MINE FATALITY - On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, a 61-year old roof bolting machine operator with 30 years of mining experience was fatally injured while observing a continuous mining machine producing coal at the working face. A rock approximately 36" x 72" x (0"-14") fell from the roof, striking the victim and the continuous mining machine operator. The victim was fatally injured by the roof fall and the continuous mining machine operator received nonfatal injuries.
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
UNDERGROUND COAL MINE
FALL OF ROOF ACCIDENT
April 22, 2008
at
Mine No. 1
Osaka Mining Corporation
Appalachia, Wise County, Virginia
ID No. 44-07150
Accident Investigator