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This information was furnished to $afepro by Ms. Ellen Smith and her publication Mine Safety and Health News. We are very grateful to Ms. Smith for the timely update. It appears at this time that the Darby Mine explosion was due to methane build-up though no ignition source has been identified as yet.
Breaking News on the Kentucky Darby Mine Explosion
At approximately 1 a.m. on May 20, 2006, five miners were killed in a mine explosion in Harlan County, KY The following information is what we know as of 4 p.m. (May 20) about the explosion:
Name of Mine: Kentucky Darby Mine No. 1
Location: Harlan County, KY
Owners: John North and Ralph Napier
Number of employees: 33 -- 30 underground and 3 on the surface
Injury rate: The mine has a better-than-average injury rate. There have been no injuries at the mine since 2004. The mine has had no fatalities since it began operation in 2001.
Number of citations: In 2005 the mine received 70 citations -- none of which were deemed to be S&S (significant and substantial -- likely to cause injury or death).However, in the last two inspections (January 2006 and May 2006) the mine has received a total of 17 citations of which 9 were deemed S&S. This shows that the conditions have gotten less safe, or that MSHA is cracking down since the Sago and Aracoma mine disasters.
Type of citations: In the latest inspection (information available as of May 9), which was on-going at the time of the explosion, the mine was given 3 citations for accumulation of combustible materials -- one of which was deemed S&S. It was also cited for a:> roof control violation (S&S) > failing to maintain electrical equipment on the working face > failing to maintain fire warning devices on the belt drive (S&S).
In January 2006, it received S&S citations for improper splices of trailing cables, failure to have equipment guards in place, roof control violations, and deenergizing self-propelled equipment.
Seam height: 8-10 feet.
Accident details so far: MSHA arrived at the mine at 2 a.m. -- approximately 1 hour after the explosion.
It is 4,300 feet from the entrance to the working face.
The miner who survived was found 15 feet in.
The miners who were killed were found approximately 3,000 from the mine entrance -- about 700-800 feet from the active or working section.
All miners' bodies were recovered by 9:40 a.m. on May 20.
The explosion blew out the ventilation controls, and MSHA reports that teams are working "under apparatus" to rebuild the ventilation structures.
Arrived from MS&H News (Ellen Smith) 5:10 PM 5/22/06
MSHA Announces Testing of Alternative Seals and Atmosphere Behind Them, Temporary Moratorium on All Alternative Seal Construction
MSHA announced today that the agency will begin a reassessment of the structural integrity of existing alternative seals and will require testing of the atmosphere behind the seals. For those alternative seals with structural issues in which the atmosphere behind them is potentially explosive, MSHA officials will require additional precautions to protect miners.
MSHA also announced a moratorium on new construction of alternative seals under the 1992 MSHA standard, and district managers have been ordered not to approve requests to construct alternative seals in underground coal mines.
This moratorium is effective immediately while further review and testing on each of the previously approved alternative seals under this 1992 standard is conducted.
"MSHA will require that coal-mine operators immediately examine the structural integrity of all of their alternative seals and test the atmosphere behind these seals to protect against hazardous conditions for miners,"said MSHA's Acting Assistant Secretary David Dye.
"In addition, MSHA is issuing a temporary moratorium on the construction of alternative seals to protect America’s underground coal miners following the second disaster this year in which these seals failed to withstand an explosion. Until we have answers to our critical questions about the safety of these seals, as approved under the 1992 alternative seals standard, coal-mine operators who wish to seal worked-out areas will have to use solid, concrete-block seals, as specified in the regulations."
The temporary moratorium will remain in place until further tests of alternative seals can be conducted to determine the seals’ ability to withstand explosive forces under various conditions.
Mine rescue team members responding to the disaster at the Darby Mine No. 1 in Kentucky on May 20 reported that the alternative seals used in that mine failed to withstand an explosion. The cause of this mine explosion is currently under investigation. However, preliminary indications that the seals used at the Darby Mine No. 1 were compromised by the blast are of utmost concern to MSHA, Dye emphasized.
"While MSHA investigates this tragedy to determine the cause and location of the explosion, we are concerned that the alternative seals did not withstand a blast and exposed miners to unacceptable hazards," Dye said.
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