Ken Battles, a miner with 25 years experience, was near an underground coal storage area when the accident occurred. Preliminary reports indicate he became trapped between a steel beam and a rail car used to transport coal, the company said in a statement.

The mine was shutdown for 24 hours and the Mine Safety and Health Administration are investigating the accident.

During April another miner was killed in a conveyor accident. The 57-year old general laborer with 30 years mining experience was killed when he came in contact with an underground belt conveyor system.

The accident occurred on Thursday, April 22, 2004, when the victim was performing belt cleaning duties. During the performance of these duties he came in contact with the conveyor belt.

After being carried approximately 9,000 feet by the conveyor system, the victim was found on the surface rock pile by the bulldozer operator.

The No. 7 mine in Brookwood, Alabama was opened in 1978 and employs one longwall and four continuous miners to produce 2.5 million tons annually.