Federal regulator hits coal mines with surprise inspections
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The federal government says it has conducted surprise inspections at 57 problem coal mines across the country in hopes of preventing another explosion like the one that killed 29 miners in West Virginia.
Investigators suspect methane gas and coal dust in the April 5 blast at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch mine.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday that the weekend inspections targeted mines known to have problems with methane. Inspectors also went to mines known for allowing too much coal dust to pile up as well as those with ventilation problems.
The agency says it sent 275 inspectors on the raids that included 23 mines in West Virginia and 14 in Kentucky. The rest were scattered across the country.
The agency did not say how many citations it issued.
Three Peabody Energy Corp. mines were among those inspected. They included the company’s Willow Lake mine in Saline County, Illinois, as well as the Air Quality No. 1 mine in Indiana and Twentymile mine in Colorado.
Other Illinois mines that were part of the inspection blitz were Tri County Coal LLC’s Crown III mine in Macoupin County and American Coal Co.’s Galatia mine in Saline County.
Jeffrey Tomich of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.