Mining Incidents

No 1: 2 recorded fatalities Coal

Fire Creek Inc · Underground
Controlled by W Fred St John
Superior, Mcdowell County, WV  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4607512

MSHA record for No 1 (mine ID 4607512). Fatalities, non-fatal incidents grouped by year, current operator and controller, and mine context.

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Fatalities
2
Total incidents
11
Years on record
1988–1991
Latest incident
Jan 1991
Ownership history
  1. Fire Creek Inc 1988 to 1990
  2. Fire Creek Inc 1990 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.

No 1 sits in McDowell County, West Virginia, where the Census mining category is 13.0% of county employment.

Local economic context
County figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
McDowell County, West Virginia · Population 18,413
13.0%
Mining share of county employment
$29,980
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.

Fatalities at this mine

2 recorded
January 16, 1991 WV · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech Fatality · IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST
Fire Creek Inc · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WORKING ON 1ST RIGHT MAINS SECTION WHEN A METHANE EXPLOSION OCCURED FATALLY INJURING EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATION IS INCOMPLETE

January 16, 1991 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator Fatality · IGNITION OR EXPLOSION OF GAS OR DUST
Fire Creek Inc · (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WORKING ON 1ST RIGHT MAINS SECTION WHEN A METHANE EXPLOSION OCCURED FATALLY INJURING EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATION IS INCOMPLETE

Reportable incidents

9 on file (excluding fatalities above)

1991 · 1 incident

1990 · 6 incidents

October 1, 1990 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Fire Creek Inc · Struck by falling object

SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR WAS PUTTING COVER OVER REL COMPARTMENT WHEN HE DROPPED IT ON HIS FINGER.

August 27, 1990 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Fire Creek Inc · Struck by falling object

I.NAME WAS BOLTING TOP WHEN A 2' X 2' KETTLE BOTTOM FELL AND SCRAPED HIM DOWN THE BACK AND HIP.

August 3, 1990 WV · Coal bull gang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, section foreman, shift boss POWERED HAULAGE
Fire Creek Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

INJURED LEFT SCOOP SETTING ON GRADE AND SCOOP ROLLED BACK CATCHING FOOT UNDER DECK.

August 1, 1990 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Fire Creek Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING SHUTTLE CAR WHEN CABLE CAUGHT EMPLOYEE ACROSS SHOULDERS PULLING HIM OFF SHUTTLE CAR.EMPLOYEE WENT TO HOSPITAL WITH BACK PAINS 08-01-90.

March 5, 1990 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Fire Creek Inc · Fall from machine

I,NAME WAS RUNNING A SHUTTLE CAR WHEN HE WENT UNDER A CABLE THAT WAS TIED ACROSS THE HAULWAY THE SHUTTLE CAR CAUGHT THE CABLE AND JERKED IT DOWN & CAUGHT HIM AROUND THE NECK & JERKED HIM OFF T HE BUGGY.

March 1, 1990 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Fire Creek Inc · Struck against stationary object

RUNNING SHUTTLE & HIT A BUMP & BOUNCED INTO THE TOP.

1988 · 2 incidents

December 19, 1988 WV · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Fire Creek Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

I,NAME WAS LOADING A BUNDLE OF ROOF BOLTS ONTO THE PINNER WHEN HE STRAINED HIS BACK.

September 3, 1988 WV · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator POWERED HAULAGE
Fire Creek Inc · Struck against a moving object

OPER. SHUTTLE CAR A(D BOUNCED IN SEAT INJ HIS LOWER BACK.