Explosion at West Virginia underground coal mine; number of injuries not known

Explosion at underground W. Va. coal mine

MONTCOAL, W.Va. — An explosion occurred Monday at an underground coal mine but Massey Energy did not immediately report whether miners were trapped or injured.

The blast happened at the Upper Big Branch mine in Raleigh County, about 30 miles south of Charleston. The company did not provide details on the extent of the damage.

The mine is operated by Massey subsidiary Performance Coal Co.

Mine emergency crews from the State Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training were headed to the scene, but agency spokeswoman Jama Jarrett had no more details.

In 1998, a worker at the mine was killed when a support beam collapsed, dumping bags of cement mix and other materials onto the man, according to a report from the federal Mine Safety & Health Administration. Federal investigators blamed poor welding and construction.

In 2001, another worker at the mine died after a portion of roof fell in on him.