The death of a 44-year-old coal miner on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the American Eagle Mine in eastern Kanawha County marks at least the third fatality at the facility since 2019. Federal investigators identified safety violations in connection with the two previous deaths.
Travis Price, a 24-year veteran of the coal mining industry, died Thursday evening following an incident at the mine near Dawes, according to a statement from West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
The circumstances surrounding Price's death were not immediately clear. The Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) lists the incident as a powered haulage accident, a classification that includes accidents involving conveyors and mobile mining equipment. The West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training is investigating, according to the governor's statement.
“[West Virginia First Lady] Denise and I are heartbroken to learn of the tragic loss,” Morrisey said in a statement issued Friday, Oct. 9. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and fellow miners as they mourn this terrible loss.”
A history of fatalities and safety violations
The American Eagle Mine is an underground coal mine operated by Panther Creek Mining LLC, according to federal mine records and Global Energy Monitor. MSHA records document two previous fatalities at the mine, along with safety violations identified during subsequent investigations.
In September 2019, Steven Keeney, a 40-year-old electrician with nine years of mining experience, was electrocuted while working on a continuous mining machine.
According to MSHA's final investigation report, Keeney came into contact with an energized 995-volt electrical component while working on the machine's scrubber motor circuit. Investigators determined the accident occurred because electrical work was performed on an energized circuit that had not been locked out and tagged.
MSHA issued two safety citations to the mine operator. The company subsequently revised its written lockout and tagout procedures and retrained its electricians, according to the report.
In November 2020, Taylor Halstead, a 20-year-old miner with approximately 14 months of mining experience, died while operating a battery-powered scoop underground to retrieve equipment for conveyor belt repairs.
According to MSHA's final investigation report, the scoop ran over a 17-foot-long polymer pipe lying in the roadway. The machine's weight caused the pipe to rise into the operator's compartment, striking Halstead.
Federal investigators determined the accident occurred because mine management failed to ensure Halstead was properly trained to operate the scoop, remove hazardous materials from roadways and conduct adequate preshift safety examinations.
MSHA found the mine had been cited nine times before Halstead's death for violating a safeguard first issued in 2017 requiring roadways to be kept clear of hazardous materials. Following Halstead's death, MSHA issued three enforcement orders, each identifying an unwarrantable failure to comply with mandatory safety standards.
