Jermey Heckler, 30, a contract employee for trucking outfit Circle M Enterprises, was welding and grinding a steel tyre rim at a garage at Star Bridge Preparation Plant when the attached truck tyre exploded, fatally injuring him.

He was a 10-year industry veteran and had worked under the contractor for approximately four weeks.

The accident occurred at approximately 3pm local time and the accident was classified by MSHA as Exploding Vessels under Pressure.

West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training acting director Jim Dean told the Charleston Gazette that the worker had not followed proper procedure to release the air from the tyre beforehand.

“That’s an explosion hazard, and it did explode,” he said. “The normal process is to deflate the tyre.”

The report lists the preparation plant and mine are operated by Carter Roag Coal and owned by United Co. According to the agency archives, no deaths had been reported at the mine since 1997.

Heckler’s death is the 37th coal mining-related fatality in the US this year.

Two others have occurred in the last two weeks: Jason Mosely, 28, a drill operator at Hendrickson Equipment's Smith Branch No. 1 mine, was killed July 18 when highwall material fell and crushed him; just two days later, grader operator John May, 39, died at Cam Mining’s Slate Branch surface mine when he was struck by his machine July 20.