Families of 2 Maryland Miners File Wrongful Death Suit

The families of two western Maryland coal miners who died in a 2007 highwall collapse near Barton are seeking $8 million in a wrongful death lawsuit.

The families of Dale Jones and Michael Wilt filed the complaint Thursday in Allegany County Circuit Court in Cumberland, Md.

The defendants include Tri-Star Mine owner George Beener, of Rockwood, Pa., mining engineers, a safety training expert and the mine’s landowner. Beener didn’t immediately return calls from The Associated Press.

Wilt and Jones were crushed beneath thousands of tons of rock when a wall of the surface mine collapsed on April 17, 2007.

The complaint alleges the collapse resulted from willful and recklessly unsafe conditions.