According to a preliminary report released by US Mine Safety and Health Administration investigators, longwall shieldman Ryan Lashley was at the 144 shield on the 2 West longwall section at the time of the incident, about 4pm on November 23.

The shearer was mining towards the head when the shield advanced and a hydraulic hose from the panline to the shield control unit got caught between the pontoon and mine floor, the agency said.

“The victim actuated the panline push from a shield control unit and stepped over the hose,” officials said in the report.

“As the panline pushed forward, it severed the hydraulic hose.”

What the movement also created was a trapping of a portion of the hydraulic hose beneath the pontoon and a 23-inch section was sticking out from beneath it.

Additionally, the end of the hose nearest the panline broke at the fitting where it was connected to the valve bank.

“The valve bank discharged fluid at a high pressure, striking the victim [and] causing fatal injuries,” the report said.

Emergency medical technicians did not detect any vital signs and Lashley was pronounced dead on arrival to a local medical centre.

According to MSHA, the miner had just over five years of experience and just over four of those years were as a shieldman.

The hose was identified as a Lewis and Goetz 25mm.

Century, located in Monroe and Belmont counties in eastern Ohio, employs 698 workers, of which 609 are underground.

There were 143 individuals working at the time of the incident.

The non-union mine extracts from the Pittsburgh 8 seam at a height of about 54 inches.

Controlling company Murray Energy first confirmed the death to ILN in the hours after the incident.

“[Operator] American Energy sends its condolences to the family,” officials said.