CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Office of Mine Safety Health and Training is investigating two recent coal mining accidents that resulted in the deaths of two workers.
An independent coal truck driver, Timothy Collins, 53, of Mill Creek, was killed at a Randolph County mining operation Wednesday morning.
A report made to the mine accident hotline said Collins had pulled his truck over to a wide spot on a haul road at the Morgan Camp Mine near Mill Creek at about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
According to the report, “Coal truck driver was walking around truck. Truck ran over driver.”
Collins was pronounced dead at 6:12 a.m.
The Morgan Camp Mine is owned by Carter-Roag Coal.
In a separate incident, Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday a miner had died from injuries suffered a week ago.
According to the accident hotline, the worker, who Justice identified as Jeffrey Hudnall, 60, was injured on Aug. 4 at a Marfork Coal operation near Packsville in Raleigh County.
Hudnall, who was on top of a loader, lost his balance and fell approximately nine feet. He was seriously injured.
The accident occurred at around 8:20 a.m. Hudnall was flown to a Charleston hospital. Exactly when he died hasn’t been released.
Justice called the mine workers heroes.
“Every day we want them to get home to their families but what they give us is really important,” Justice said. “I hate it like crazy every time and any time we lose a coal miner.”
The miners’ names were not part of the original hotline report but their names were released by Justice during his Wednesday media briefing.