Fatality · MSHA Record #219870790001

Ledgeman/Hand fatality at Gold King Mine (Gold King Mines Corp), CO, March 13, 1987

at 2:45 PM

On March 13, 1987, a ledgeman/hand was fatally injured in a fall of roof or back accident at Gold King Mine (Gold King Mines Corp), CO.

Gold King Mine · Underground · Metal/Non-Metal

Operator: Gold King Mines Corp (Gold King Consolidated Inc)

Contractor on site: K2M

San Juan County, CO

Classification FALL OF ROOF OR BACK

Type Struck by falling object

Watch this mine

Email me when a new MSHA incident is filed at Gold King Mine.

Investigator narrative

ROCK FALL OF 100 - 150# STRIKING HIM ON TOP OF HEAD, CAUSING MASSIVE INTERNAL INJURIES

Record details

Activity at time of incident: Observe Operations
Subunit / location: UNDERGROUND
Underground location: FACE
Accident type: Struck by falling object
Source of injury: CAVING ROCK,COAL,ORE,WSTE
Nature of injury: MULTIPLE INJURIES
Body part affected: MULTIPLE PARTS (MORE THAN ONE MAJOR)
Total mining experience: 14 years
Experience at this mine: 1 year
Experience in this job: 10 years
Degree of injury: FATALITY

Related fatalities

Same classification

April 2, 2026 · Shuttle Car Operator · Marfork Coal Company, WV
September 2, 2025 · Blaster · Heidelberg Materials Northeast LLC, PA
July 12, 2025 · Scoop Tram Operator · Nyrstar Tennessee Mines, Strawberry Plains LLC, TN
September 25, 2024 · Continuous Miner Operator · Crimson Oak Grove Resources LLC, AL
September 6, 2024 · Continuous Miner Operator · Mingo Logan Coal LLC, WV

Same year

December 29, 1987 · Front-End Loader · Borger Sand & Gravel Company Inc, TX
December 26, 1987 · Laborer · Double R Coal Company Inc, VA
December 16, 1987 · Ledgeman/Hand · Bunker Hill Mining Company (Us) Inc, ID
December 16, 1987 · Maintenance Man · Western Sand & Gravel Company, NE
December 16, 1987 · Belt Foreman · Homestake Mining Company of California, CA

Verify on MSHA

Every record on this page mirrors what MSHA publishes under its Open Government Data program, refreshed weekly. MSHA does not publish per-accident URLs (the Accidents data is distributed as a single bulk file), so this is how to retrieve the source for the specific record below:

Accident record: Download MSHA Accidents.zip then search for Document number 219870790001 (the unique key per MSHA Form 7000-1)
Mine record: MSHA Mine Data Retrieval System and search by Mine ID 0504057
All MSHA datasets: Open Government Data program directory covering Accident, Mines, Inspections, Violations, etc.

Source: US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) · Document 219870790001 · Mine ID 0504057 Trainer view →