Coal miner killed in West Virginia is the country's 10th this year, surpassing 2023 total
GRAFTON, W. Va. (AP/KDKA) -- A coal miner died Friday, nearly a week after being injured on the job in northern West Virginia, officials said.
Colton Walls, 34, of Bruceton Mills, was injured while working as a longwall electrician at the underground Leer Mining Complex operated by Arch Resources in Grafton, Gov. Jim Justice said in a statement. According to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, the incident happened Sept. 28.
Walls is survived by his wife, Jonda, and three children, Justice said.
"The heart and soul of West Virginia are found in our coal miners, and today, we grieve the loss of one of our own," the governor said.
The statement did not disclose further details about the accident, which is under investigation by MSHA and the state Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training. Grafton is located a little less than 2 hours south of Pittsburgh.
It was the fifth reported coal fatality of the year in West Virginia and the 10th nationally, according to MSHA. There were nine such U.S. deaths last year.
In August, Arch Resources and Pittsburgh-based Consol Energy announced they are combining to form a single coal producer valued at more than $5 billion, marking the latest consolidation in a deal-happy energy sector. The new company called Core Natural Resources was set to be based in Canonsburg.