As West Virginia turns its collective attention to the 29 miners victimized in a horrific explosion a year ago today at a Raleigh County, the mine’s parent owner is temporarily idling 92 underground operations.
In Charleston, acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin planned to place a wreath at the coal miners statue on the Capitol grounds Tuesday morning, then take part in an evening ceremony honoring the miners killed in the blast at a Massey subsidiary, Performance Coal Co.’s Upper Big Branch mine.
“One year ago, 29 hard-working miners perished,” Tomblin said on the eve of the disaster’s one-year anniversary.
“In their memory, I request that every church in our state ring its bell 29 times at 3:01 p.m., which is the estimated time of the deadly explosion. At that moment, I will ask all West Virginians to observe a moment of silence for all miners who have perished and for those who continue to work in harm’s way.”
Massey planned to conduct a safety standdown at its 92 deep mines while leading a company-wide, one-minute, 29-second moment of silence in mid-afternoon to honor the victims of Upper Big Branch.
“As the one-year anniversary of the UBB mine explosion approaches, Massey Energy continues to extend our sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathies to those families and communities who lost loved ones in this tragic accident,” the firm said in a prepared statement.
Massey said it remains committed to “a thorough and comprehensive investigation” in an effort to pinpoint the cause of the explosion and provide answers to family members.
Separate investigations remain in force at the state and federal levels, and both inquiries are nearing their completion.
The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration plans to conduct a public briefing June 29 on its investigation at the mine safety academy on Airport Road outside Beckley.
— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com
Montcoal Mine Disaster
Massey idling underground mines
- Montcoal Mine Disaster
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Independent investigation says Upper Big Branch disaster was preventable
A series of explosions that ripped through the Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal just over a year ago, killing 29 miners and shocking the nation, were preventable, a report released Thursday stated.
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Families not surprised Massey was irresponsible
For the father of one of the victims of the tragedy at Upper Big Branch, hearing investigators say the accident was preventable and largely due to ignoring important safety measures came as no surprise.
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UBB report provides insight into future of mine safety
Following an independent investigation into the Upper Big Branch explosion, investigators offered more than 50 suggestions for improving the safety of coal miners underground, and lawmakers across the state and nation have taken notice.
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MSHA investigation not complete, but mostly in line with independent panel's report
The public received a few answers to questions about the Upper Big Branch mine explosion Thursday from an independent team, but federal investigators are still completing their investigation.
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11 panel findings and suggestions for safety improvements
As part of the independent investigation of the April 5, 2010, explosion at Upper Big Branch by the Governor’s Independent Investigation Panel, the authors of the report offered the following 11 findings that were accompanied by multiple suggestions for safety improvement.
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W.Va. moves to unlicense Upper Big Branch foreman
West Virginia mine safety officials are moving to revoke the license of an Upper Big Branch mine foreman they say didn’t turn on his methane detector when he was supposed to be checking for the explosive gas.
The Charleston Gazette says a hearing for Jeremy Burghduff is set for May 15 before the state Coal Mine Safety Board of Appeals. -
UPDATED: Report also criticizes regulators in UBB mine blast
The independent investigation that blames the deadliest U.S. coal mine explosion in decades on owner Massey Energy Co. also points out problems with how federal and state regulators policed the West Virginia coal mine where 29 died last year.
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UPDATED: Families seek justice for fatal UBB mine blast
Relatives of the 29 men killed in the deadliest U.S. coal accident since 1970 said Thursday the findings of an independent probe confirm what they long suspected, saying Massey Energy Co. cared more about coal than workers’ safety, threatened to fire those who complained and let dangerous conditions build in an ill-fated mine.
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Remembering the 29
A year after the tragic loss of 29 West Virginia coal miners at a Raleigh County mine, public officials gathered Tuesday evening with victims’ families, rescue workers and others affected by the tragedy.
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Families haunted by tragic blast
“It was a hard week,” was the phrase repeated by family members of the 29 miners who lost their lives on April 5, 2010, during the Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy.
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