This article is 12 years old. Images might not display.
Murray Energy spokesperson Rob Murray confirmed the Saturday morning death at the Salt Run No. 1 highwall to ILN Monday morning, identifying the victim as foreman Walter Ralph McAfee, 55, of Jewett.
MSHA spokesperson Amy Louviere added in an ILN interview: “He became caught between a highwall mining machine and a front-end loader.
“MSHA personnel from the St Clairsville field office responded, and an investigation is underway.”
Murray confirmed that no other workers were injured in the accident. He called McAfee, with Murray subsidiary OhioAmerican Energy for six-and-a-half years, a “highly respected and valued” employee.
“The most sincere condolences are extended by the company and all of its employees to Mr McAfee’s family and friends,” he added.
Both MSHA and Murray Energy have commenced their respective investigations along with the Ohio Division of Mine Safety.
Louviere said the operation was under a 103k closure order Monday as that work continued.
The Redbird West complex in Jefferson County, near Brilliant, commenced production from the Pittsburgh 8 seam in 2007 and was Murray Energy’s first large-scale eastern US surface mining operations. It employs approximately 210 workers and produces about 2 million tons annually.
McAfee’s death is the fifth US coal fatality of 2012, and the first recorded in Ohio.
