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A US Mine Safety and Health Administration spokeswoman told ILN that the victim, identified by the Craig Daily Press as 25-year-old Jason Kawcak, was working at Western Fuels’ Colowyo mine near Craig, Moffat County, when the incident occurred at about 5.20pm local time Saturday.
“[H]e lost control of a water truck,” she said.
“The truck driver was ejected or jumped from the truck, which overturned on him. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was later confirmed dead.”
MSHA has commenced its investigation and federal tech support will be assisting with the probe.
Western Fuels-Colorado general manager Ken Anderson told the Press that the safety of its people and operations were its highest priority.
“We are working closely with public safety authorities to investigate the accident,” he said, adding that the complex was being idled for the time being.
The fatality is the first in Colorado in 2012 and also the first to occur in the western US coalfields.
It is the first powered haulage death recorded this year.
According to federal data, the Colowyo surface bituminous mine, owned by Western Fuels and Tri-State Generation and Transmission, produced more than 2.5 million tons of coal in 2011 without any non-fatal days lost operator or contractor injuries.
