WOWKTV.COM UPDATE
WOWK has confirmed from sources that the 27-year-old victim is Steven O'Dell. O'Dell was an electrician at the mine.
Craig Boggs, President of Alex Energy, an Alpha Natural Resources subsidiary said, "We are all saddened by the loss of a talented
colleague and friend. Our sympathies go out to the O'Dell family. The prayers and thoughts of
all of us are with Steven's family at this difficult time."
The White Buck Coal Company, an Alpha spokesperson explained, does not employ any miners. Alex Energy provides the miners at White Buck's Pocahontas mine.
WOWKTV.COM UPDATE
Federal mining officials have also confirmed the fatal mining accident.
According to Mine Safety and Health Administration spokesperson Amy Louviere, a 103(j) order has been issued and two inspectors from District 4 have already been dispatched to begin an investigation.
A 103(j) order is defined as allowing an authorized representative broad authority to protect the life of any person or to preserve evidence.
ORIGINAL STORY
A fatal mine accident occurred overnight in Greenbrier County.
According to Leslie Fitzwater, Public Information Specialist for the W.Va. Dept. of Commerce, a 27-year-old employee at Pocahontas Mine A, operated by White Buck Coal Co., was killed at approximately 1:30 a.m.
The victim allegedly was caught between a scoop and a continuous miner. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after the accident, according to Fitzwater.
The mine is located in Rupert, Greenbrier County and is owned by Alpha Natural Resources.
W.Va. Office of Mine, Health, Safety and Training inspectors have been on site since early Friday morning.
The name of the victim has not been released at this time.
According to Fitzwater, this is the sixth mining fatality for West Virginia in 2012.
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