Feds: West Virginia Miners Were Not Taught Fire Safety

Massey Energy did not conduct fire drills or teach miners how to use fire-safety equipment at the Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine, state and federal investigators have discovered.

State regulators cited Massey for these violations after learning of them during interviews conducted as part of an investigation of the Jan. 19 fire that killed two Aracoma mine workers, records show.

Investigators also cited Massey when company officials could not produce records to show that they conducted required monthly tests of a crucial automatic firefighting system on the conveyor belt where the fire occurred.

State officials have declined to discuss how well the mine