HOLMES MILL, Ky. – An underground explosion in an eastern Kentucky coal mine killed five miners early Saturday, while a sixth miner walked away from the blast that sprayed an office building with rock and mud 100 yards outside the tunnel’s entrance, Gov. Ernie Fletcher said.
The cause of the blast at the Darby Mine No. 1 in Harlan County was not immediately known. But Fletcher, who quickly flew to the scene, said preliminary evidence suggested methane may have leaked from a sealed-off portion of the mine, mixed with oxygen and then something caused it to ignite.
It was the deadliest mining incident in Kentucky since 1989, when 10 miners died in a western Kentucky mine blast, state officials said. The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration said that the five deaths Saturday raised the national death toll from coal mining accidents to 31 this year, with 10 of the deaths in Kentucky.
The miners, who were part of a maintenance shift on duty when the blast occurred, were found about 3,000 feet into the mine, said Ray McKinney, MSHA’s administrator for coal mine safety and health.
The governor said some of the dead miners had donned breathing devices after the explosion and tried to climb to safety. Federal investigators said four of the victims were found close together but could not confirm whether they had used breathing devices.
The only survivor, Paul Ledford, was closer to the mine’s exit than his co-workers who were killed, Fletcher said. He was about 15 feet from the mine’s exit when he came across rescuers on their way in to search, officials said.
Ledford was treated at Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, Va., and released.
Jeff Ledford said his brother sustained burns to his face and chest and has blisters.
The governor said he had contacted the families of the killed workers.
“They want answers – how, why, what caused it – that will help them deal with it a little more,” Fletcher said.
Relatives of the miners had gathered before dawn at the nearby Cloverfork Missionary Baptist Church to await word about their loved ones. State and federal mine officials informed the family members of the deaths, said Mike Blair, the church’s pastor.
“There’s just a lot of heartbroken people,” he said.
Authorities identified the victims as Amon Brock, 51, of Closplint; Jimmy D. Lee, 33, of Wallins Creek; Roy Middleton, 35, of Evarts; George William Petra, 49, of Kenvir; and Paris Thomas Jr., 53, also of Evarts.
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