Three Workers Confirmed Dead in Mine Blast

Sept. 25, 2001
An explosion and fire Sunday night in a coal mine in Brookwood,\r\nAla., has resulted in three confirmed fatalities, and another nine\r\nmissing and presumed dead.

An explosion and fire Sunday night in a coal mine in Brookwood, Ala., has resulted in three confirmed fatalities, and another nine missing and presumed dead.

The accident at Mine No. 5, operated by Jim Walter Resources Inc., was apparently the result of a cave-in that occurred where miners were conducting maintenance activities.

According to Jim Walter Resources, mine rescue teams worked through the night on Sunday, seeking to evacuate miners who were underground at the time of the accident.

Four miners were evacuated and taken to area hospitals, one of who was in critical condition yesterday.

All other miners and rescue personnel have been evacuated from the mine.

Operations at the mine, which is 2,140 feet underground, were shut down Sunday night after the accident occurred.

Officials from Jim Walter Resources, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the United Mine Workers Association and the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations were all on hand to assist in the rescue effort and investigate the accident.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of loved ones of the miners affected by this tragedy,'' said George Richmond, president and COO of Jim Walter Resources. "Of the miners we have apparently lost, most were people who heroically volunteered to help their co-workers."

Jim Walters Resources, which employs approximately 1,370 in Brookwood, Ala., operates three underground coal mines and a natural gas operation.

by Virginia Foran

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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