May 18, 2016 - State mining officials are investigating the death of a coal miner in northern West Virginia.

Arch Coal’s Leer Mine reported to the state Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training that a miner was suspected to have died from a heart attack at the underground operation in Taylor County. The incident was reported to have occurred at 4 a.m. Monday.

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said that the miner was operating a locomotive to move supplies in the underground mine when he was “found unresponsive in the operator’s compartment.” 

MSHA and the state agency are both investigating. Decisions about whether the incident would be counted as a mining-related death had not yet been made Monday afternoon.