Death of West Virginia Miner Marks 6th US Coal Mining Fatality of 2020

A coal miner died Monday in a workplace accident in southern West Virginia, the governor’s office said.

Taylor Meldin Halstead, 20, of Bob White, was killed in the accident at Panther Mining LLC’s American Eagle Mine in the Kanawha County community of Dawes, the governor’s office said in a statement.

The statement did not give details surrounding the death, which was the sixth coal mining fatality nationwide this year. There have been two deaths apiece in West Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the fewest coal mining fatalities in a year nationally was eight in 2016.

Gov. Jim Justice said he and his wife, Cathy, “are deeply saddened to learn that we lost one of our incredible West Virginia coal miners today. This is especially devastating news so close to the Thanksgiving holiday. We can never appreciate our miners enough for the brave and important work they do every day to power our homes, state, and nation.”