Newtown Energy miner killed 2 others injured

2009-10-29 16:09:51 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash, Personal Injury)

Legal news for West Virginia personal injury attorneys. A worker was killed when the rope supporting a hoist bucket snapped.

Occupational Health and Safety Admin. alerts West Virginia personal injury attorneys—A worker was killed and two others were injured while working in a mine.

Charleston, WV—A hoisting accident left a Fayette County man dead and two other miners injured, while working at the Newtown Energy coal mine. The fatal accident happened on Tuesday morning, October 27, 2009 around 7:00 a.m., at Eagle Mine in Kanawha County near Winifrede, as reported by the Register-Herald.

According to Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) http://www.osha.gov/ officials, Charles Dixon, 53, was reportedly standing at the slope bottom of the mine, when a hoist car broke loose and struck him. Two other miners, Daniel Ewing and Dave Morgan, who were riding in the hoist car when the rope snapped and sustained injuries in the accident.

It is unknown what caused the rope to break. One injured miner sustained facial injuries, while another worker suffered a potential traumatic brain injury (TBI). A representative from the Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training stated, “Instead of elevator shafts, some mines, such as this one, have slope entrances and use cars to transport workers. These cars run on tracks and are operated by a hoist system.” Both Ewing and Morgan were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Dixon was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by responding emergency medical services (EMS) crews. Officials with Newtown Energy along with OSHA are conducting full investigations into the fatal mining accident. This is reportedly the first fatal accident at the Newtown Energy mine.

Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for West Virginia personal injury lawyers.