Mining Incidents

Shop Branch Mine #2: 1 recorded fatality Coal

Lodestar Energy Inc · Surface
Controlled by Iracoal Incorporated
Floyd, Floyd County, KY  ·  Abandoned
MSHA Mine ID: 1517939

MSHA record for Shop Branch Mine #2 (mine ID 1517939). Fatalities, non-fatal incidents grouped by year, current operator and controller, and mine context.

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Fatalities
1
Total incidents
6
Years on record
1997–1998
Latest incident
May 1998
Ownership history
  1. Lodestar Energy Inc 1997 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.

Shop Branch Mine #2 sits in Floyd County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 4.4% 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.
Floyd County, Kentucky · Population 35,342
4.4%
Mining share of county employment
$41,582
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.

Fatalities at this mine

1 recorded
May 22, 1998 KY · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver Fatality · POWERED HAULAGE
Lodestar Energy Inc · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EMPLOYEE DRIVING TRUCK DOWN SLOPE. FOR UNKNOWN REASON DROVE TRUCK INTO THE DITCH. FOR UNKNOWN REASON WAS FOUND UNDERNEATH THE COAL TRUCK.

Reportable incidents

5 on file (excluding fatalities above)

1998 · 3 incidents

May 11, 1998 KY · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver OTHER
Lodestar Energy Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE LEFT WORK ON MAY 11, 1998 AND DID NOT RETURN. HE LATER CALLED AND SAID HE WAS SEEING A DOCTOR FOR BACK PAIN, NOT STATING HE WAS INJUREDON OR ABOUT MAY 25, 1998 WE WERE NOTIFIED BY THE EMPLOYEE THAT HE THINKS THAT THE INJURY MAYBE WORK RELATED. HE IS NOT WORKING AND CAN NOT RECALL ANY INCIDENT THAT CAUSED HIS INJURY.

February 25, 1998 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Lodestar Energy Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE WAS WORKING ON HIS KNEES INSIDE THE TRACTOR CAB & WHILE SHIFTING AROUND HE FELT HIS LOWER BACE MUSCLES PULL. EE SPENT TOO LONG A TILME IN A STRAINED POSITION.

February 22, 1998 KY · Coal greaser, grease man, oiler, lube man, dragline oiler POWERED HAULAGE
Lodestar Energy Inc · Struck by powered moving object

EE WAS HELPING THE MECHANIC INSTALL A CENTER PININ THE SPRING ON THE FUEL TRUCK WHEN THE TRUCK SHIFTED STRIKING THE EE'S HEAD. THE EE RECEIVED LACERATIONS IN THE HEAD AREA REQUIRING STITCHES.

1997 · 2 incidents

October 5, 1997 KY · Coal haul/off road/coal/ore/pit/quarry/rock/rubber tire truck driver, transportation truck driver POWERED HAULAGE
Lodestar Energy Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EE STATED THAT DURING HIS NORMAL ACTIVITIES OF OPERATING A TRUCK THAT HE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE PAIN IN HIS BACK. THE ACCIDENT BECAME REPORTABLE WHEN HE BEGAN MISSING WORK ON 1-30-98.

August 5, 1997 KY · Coal maintenance man, mechanic, repair/serviceman, boilermaker, fueler, tire tech, field service tech HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Lodestar Energy Inc · Struck by flying object

EE WAS USING A HAMMER TO REMOVE A U-JOINT FROM A DRIVE LINE. A SLIVER OF METAL BROKE OFF & STRUCK HIM IN HIS THIGH & GROIN. THE METAL HAD TO BE REMOVED & THE WOUND CLOSED BY STITCHES.