‘Heartbroken.’ Ky. coal miner found dead after search deep inside a mine, state says
Rescuers located the body of a Kentucky coal miner late Monday deep inside a mine in Harlan County, according to the state Energy and Environment Cabinet.
James D. Brown, 33, was killed Sunday night when a section of the roof collapsed at the D-29 Darby Fork mine in Holmes Mill, officials said.
Brown’s body was recovered about 9 p.m. Monday, nearly 24 hours after the accident.
“We are heartbroken at the news,“ Gov. Andy Beshear said in a release. “Please join me in expressing my deep condolences to his family, friends and community.”
Brown, who operated a machine to install bolts in the roof of the mine to stabilize it, was about 14,000 feet underground when the accident happened. That is more than two and a half miles.
Brown had 13 years experience as a miner, according to the cabinet.
State and federal authorities are investigating.
Brown’s death is the second coal-mining fatality in Kentucky this year. In January, a Virginia man was killed and another injured when a tree fell on their pickup truck at a surface mine in Bell County.
Kentucky had one coal-mining fatality in 2021.
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 8:12 AM.
