Bull Gang Foreman

A water inundation occurred on the No. 1 Section in the No. 1 Face near spad 1717. Resulted in a Fatal injury. Rescue crews located the fatally injured person on 11/13/2025.

Texto original en inglés de la MSHA

On November 8, 2025, at 12:05 p.m., Steven Lipscomb, a 42-year-old section foreman with over 19 years of mining experience, died after the mine was inundated with water when the active workings mined into an adjacent abandoned mine. Lipscomb was found on November 13, 2025, after the water level in the mine was pumped down. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not: 1) have an accurate and up-to-date map identifying the adjacent mine works within 1,000 feet of the active mine; and 2) follow the approved Alternate Drill Plan to verify the absence of the adjacent mine works to allow safe development of Rolling Thunder Mine.

1. The mine operator and contractor did not follow the approved Alternate Drill Plan.

   Acción correctiva: The mine operator and contractor developed enhanced written procedures for effectively drilling in the minable reserve and to accurately verify the absence of adjacent mine works. The new procedures require that drillers:

Lee el informe completo (PDF)

Hallazgos del informe final de investigación de la MSHA, que sustituye la narrativa preliminar anterior.

Actividad al momento del incidente

Supervise

Subunidad / ubicación

UNDERGROUND

Ubicación subterránea

INTERSECTION

Método de minería

Continuous Mining

Tipo de accidente

Ahogamiento

Fuente de la lesión

WATER

Naturaleza de la lesión

SUFFOC,SMOK INHILAT,DROWN

Parte del cuerpo afectada

BODY SYSTEMS

Experiencia minera total

19 years

Experiencia en esta mina

0 years

Experiencia en este puesto

9 years

Grado de la lesión

FATALITY