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State Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training spokeswoman Leslie Fitzwater identified the victim as Gregory Byers, 43.
Byers was seriously injured at about 12.45pm July 31 at the ICG Beckley Pocahontas mine in Raleigh County when he was struck by a battery-operated scoop.
“The miner was near a scoop at the battery charging station, when a second scoop struck the scoop beside the miner, causing it to slide against the miner, injuring him,” US Mine Safety and Health Administration spokeswoman Amy Louviere said.
“The injured miner was transferred from the mine to hospital via ambulance, where he died early Tuesday evening.”
When notified of the accident, a District 4 investigator traveled to the mine site after a 103j order was issued. An investigation is underway.
The ICG Beckley Pocahontas room and pillar mine is owned by Arch Coal. The producer did not respond to an ILN request for comment.
The death is the fourth in West Virginia this year, and the second in just five days.
Last Friday, 35-year-old Johnny Mack Bryant II was killed at about 4am at Coal River Mining’s Fork Creek No. 10 operation in Boone County.
The miner, who had about 15 months of experience, was assisting in the transport of a continuous miner for use the next day when he was crushed between the unit and the rib.
Byers’ death is the 13th in the US coal in 2012.
