Here’s the sad news out of the coalfields of Illinois:
A Marion man died Tuesday night, the result of a mining accident that occurred at M-Class Mine, located on North Thompsonville Road in Macedonia.
Franklin County Coroner Marty Leffler was informed of the incident shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday. Chief Deputy Coroner John Gaskewicz responded to the mine to await the removal of the victim.
Near 11:30 p.m. the body of the miner was brought to the surface and pronounced dead at the scene.
The coroner’s office said 20-year-old Tyler D. Rath was identified as the victim. Rath is survived by a wife, a 2-year-old daughter and a six-day old son. Rath is a 2014 graduate of Marion High School.
The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said:
On the night of Dec. 8, a fatal accident occurred at the mine listed below. Preliminary information indicates that the victim was transporting a trailer loaded with longwall face conveyor chain into the mine via a slope entry. The trailer travelled over the tractor in which the victim was operating, striking the operator’s compartment. An investigation is ongoing.
MSHA said that incident occurred at M-Class Mining LLC’s MC #1 Mine. The mine had one fatal accident in 2013 and another in 2014, according to MSHA.
This is the 11th coal mining death in the U.S. in 2015 and the 2nd in Illinois, according to MSHA’s official count.
While M-Class Mining LLC operates the mine, Foresight Energy, founded by coal operator Chris Cline, is the ultimate owner of the mine, said spokesman Gary Broadbent. Foresight entered into a deal earlier this year by which Murray Energy, founded by Bob Murray, acquired “a significant economic interest” in Foresight.