Local News
Mine foreman facing five federal charges in fatal Aracoma fire
CHARLESTON — A Massey Energy Co. foreman was indicted Thursday on five federal charges stemming from a fire that killed two miners at a Logan County coal operation in January 2006.
David R. Runyon, 43, of Justice, is accused of two counts of knowingly violating federal safety standards by failing to hold mandatory evacuation drills. Runyon also faces three counts of falsifying records to show that evacuation drills had been conducted when they weren’t.
“We have spoken with the U.S. Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation. It’s our position that Mr. Runyon has not done anything wrong,” defense attorney Nick Preservati said.
Runyon faces up to 17 years in prison and a $950,000 fine.
The indictment identifies Runyon as the foreman of one of two crews that were underground at Massey subsidiary Aracoma Coal Co.’s Alma No. 1 mine in West Virginia’s southern coalfields when a conveyer belt caught fire Jan. 19, 2006. Runyon’s crew was farther from the fire and escaped.
Runyon remains employed at Aracoma, Massey spokesman Jeff Gillenwater said in an e-mail. “Massey has an open investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Aracoma fire and will consider this and any other new information in its investigation.”
Two members of the other crew, Don Bragg, 33, and Ellery Elvis Hatfield, 47, died after they were separated from the rest of their co-workers while trying to escape.
State and federal investigators say an overheated conveyer belt caused the fire, but also blamed missing air control walls for allowing the primary escapeway for Bragg and Hatfield’s crew to fill with smoke.
Federal prosecutors are believed to be investigating several other Aracoma employees. Attorneys representing several workers in state disciplinary proceedings have said their clients are being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charleston.
- Local News
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- Tentative agreement reached between Appalachian Regional Healthcare and the United Steelworkers of America A tentative collective bargaining agreement between Appalachian Regional Healthcare and the United Steelworkers of America was reached Wednesday for more than 2,300 ARH employees represented by the USW in eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia.
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Greenbrier to host Fun Fest and Egg Hunt
The Greenbrier will host its first Community Children’s Easter Fun Fest and Egg Hunt for children ages 3-12 March 28.
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Bluestone Wildlife Area cleaning up from flood
Very little flooding was reported along the New River near Bluestone Dam Saturday, but in other locations the river overflowed its banks and caused considerable damage, including in the Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, officials said.
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W.Va. gets $72 million in school construction bonds
West Virginia is getting more than $72 million in federal bonds for public schools.
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Officials seek federal declaration for flood recovery
Gov. Joe Manchin, Sen. Jay Rockefeller and Congressman Nick Rahall have sent requests to the president for a federal disaster declaration for Greenbrier, Mercer, Summers, Fayette, Kanawha and Raleigh counties in the wake of last weekend’s flooding.
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SCHOOL CLOSINGS and DELAYS
Click HERE to go to the West Virginia Department of Education with up-to-date school closings and delays by county.
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Flood recovery continues
Southern West Virginia residents continued to mop up floodwaters and shovel sludge Monday, working to clean out their homes and rebuild their lives.
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Flood recovery continues
Southern West Virginia residents continued to put the pieces of their homes and lives back together Tuesday as recovery from last weekend’s severe flooding continued.
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Calendar — Thursday, March 18, 2010
today's events
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Two injured in ambulance crash
Two Greenbrier County ambulance service employees were injured Wednesday, one seriously, when their ambulance struck two trees, Lewisburg police said.
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