MSHA has announced that Luches Rosser, a 44-year old Outby Miner received fatal injuries when his head struck a beam installed as supplemented roof support at approximately 11:0pm on 18 May.
Rosser was operating the locomotive along the 8 haulage extension track, the trolley pole came off the trolley wire near the No. 42 crosscut. While the locomotive was still in motion, Rosser rose from his seat to place the trolley pole back on the wire. He sat back down just as the overhead clearance dropped abruptly from 15 feet to 53½ inches. A steel beam used as supplemental roof support knocked off Rosser’s hard hat, and as he reached to grab it, his head hit an outby steel beam. Lester stated the locomotive came to a complete stop at the No. 39 crosscut and he noticed Rosser was unconscious. He and another miner were traveling in a trolley-powered supply locomotive when the accident occurred.
More information on the incident and investigation into the accident are available on the website.
