The sad news overnight came from Marshall County, West Virginia. According to the state Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training:
The West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training is investigating a fatal incident that occurred Sunday evening, March 8, 2015, at the McElroy Mine in Marshall County. Preliminary reports cite three miners were injured, one fatally. State investigators are on site and will provide updates as they become available.
As Coal Tattoo readers know, McElroy is one of the large underground operations that Murray Energy bought in 2013 from CONSOL Energy. This is the 3rd coal-mining death in the U.S. so far in 2015 and the 1st in West Virginia, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.
The Wheeling paper was reporting this morning:
The coal miner who died late Sunday following a roof collapse at the Marshall County Coal Co.’s Marshall County Mine near Cameron has been identified as John M. “Mike” Garloch of Neffs, a management employee.
Murray Energy Corp., the parent company of the Marshall County Coal Co., confirmed Garloch’s death early this morning. Two other people were injured in the collapse and have not yet been identified. Murray’s statement did note that both injured miners were conscious, with one being air lifted to Morgantown and the other transported to Wheeling Hospital.
“The Marshall County Coal Co.’s employees and management send their sincere condolences and prayers to the Garloch family,” the company statement said.