The miner was identified to local media as Harold Ennis by Walker County coroner JC Poe.
US Mine Safety and Health Administration spokesperson Amy Louviere told ILN that Ennis was working at Drummond’s Shoal Creek longwall operation at about 10pm local time on March 23 when the accident occurred.
“Preliminary information indicates that he contacted an energized trailing cable, causing electrocution,” she said.
She added that a 103j order was issued to close the mine for an accident investigation but it was unclear on Monday afternoon if the J order was converted to a 103k or if the mine was still closed.
A spokesperson for Drummond did not respond to an ILN request for comment.
Ennis’ death is the sixth in the US in 2012 and the fifth consecutive weekend fatality at a coal operation.
Just last week following the fourth death in Ohio, MSHA issued a safety alert to the nation’s mines about the trend.
Shoal Creek is located in Jefferson, Walker and Tuscaloosa counties and is Drummond’s only underground operation in the US.
The company has a surface mining complex, also in Alabama, as well as holdings in Colombia.Â
The medium-volatile, low-sulfur metallurgical coal-producing Shoal Creek operation is the largest mine in Alabama and one of the largest underground operations in the US.
