West Virginia Mine Panel Seeks Greater Role in Massey Investigation

By | April 14, 2010

The West Virginia panel that writes mining safety rules wants to join state and federal inspectors underground as they work to figure out what caused last week’s explosion that killed 29 men.

Typically, the state Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety reviews the inspectors’ reports after they complete an investigation of a mining fatality. This time, the group of union and industry officials wants to join them in Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch as they try to determine the cause of worst U.S. coal mining disaster since 1970.

Administrator Joel Watts says the board will hold a meeting to map out its role in the current investigation.

Searchers went back inside the wrecked mine Monday to pull out more bodies.

Separately, federal and state investigators prepared to launch their probe of the explosion that occurred last Monday night.

Topics Virginia West Virginia

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