Massey hit with first wrongful death lawsuit over W.Va. mine disaster that killed 29

Widow sues Massey over W.Va. mine disaster

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A widow of one of the 29 men killed in last week’s explosion at a West Virginia Coal mine is suing Massey Energy.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Marlene Griffith in Raleigh County Circuit Court also targets Performance Coal, the Massey subsidiary that operated the underground mine.

Griffith and her husband, William Griffith, were to celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary weeks after the blast on April 5. It’s the nation’s worst coal mining disaster in 40 years.

Thursday’s lawsuit argues that Massey’s handling of working conditions at the mine, plus its history of safety violations, amounted to aggravated conduct that rises above the level of ordinary negligence.

Massey did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.