Published: February 25, 2008 11:55 pm      

Worker killed at Nolo Mine accident

NOLO – An Ebensburg man was killed Monday at an underground coal mine near this Indiana County community after he was struck by a shuttle car.

The man’s name was not being released until next of kin have been notified, said Indiana County Coroner Michael A. Baker.

The victim received multiple traumatic injuries and apparently died immediately upon being struck by the shuttle car, he said.

The accident took place about 11:30 a.m.

The victim was pronounced dead inside the mine at 2:30 p.m., Baker said.

An autopsy is schedued for today at Memorial Medical Center to confirm the nature of the injuries, he said.

Ron Ruman, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said officials from the state Bureau of Deep Mine Safety were on the scene at the Nolo Mine near Strongstown to investigate.

Baker said the victim worked for Civil Mining Environmental Engineering, Latrobe.

Ted Pile, spokesman for Alpha Natural Resources, said the victim’s employer was notifying next of kin and was not yet ready to disclose the man’s identity.

“Mine personnel notified the (U.S.) Mine Safety and Health Administration promptly, as required by law,” Pile said in an e-mail.

“Production has been discontinued and the mine has been cordoned off so an investigation can proceed. Amfire personnel are cooperating fully.”

Sources said the victim was placing surveyor markings on the mine roof, and was being assisted by a mine employee, when the accident occurred. The assistant was not injured.

The nonunion Nolo Mine, which has 97 employees, is owned by Amfire Mining Co. of Latrobe, a subsidiary of Alpha Natural Resources Inc. of Abingdon, Va.