Published: October 12, 2020 |

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A Kentucky coal miner died in an accident at a surface mine in Bell County Friday.

Douglas Slusher, 48, was working as a hydroseeder at Double Mountain Mining #3, the “Strata” surface mine in Fonde, when a coupling failed on the hydro gun he was using, and he was hit in the chest, according to a news release from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. During hydroseeding, a mixture of grass seed, water and other products is sprayed on the ground at the mining site to promote the growth of new vegetation.

The cabinet said CPR was administered, but Slusher died at the scene. The accident happened at about noon.

Mining operations were shut down at the site after Slusher’s death and will remain suspended while the state’s Division of Mine Safety investigates. Investigators were sent to the site Friday afternoon.

“On behalf of the cabinet, I want to express my deepest sympathies to the Slusher family. We will learn more about how this accident happened so that we can hopefully prevent another such loss of life,” Rebecca Goodman, secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet, said in the release.

It was the first coal mining-related fatality in Kentucky this year. Kentucky had five mining-related deaths last year, the most of any state. That was up from one death in 2018 and two in 2017.

There were a total of 12 coal mining-related fatalities in the U.S. last year, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Slusher, of Calvin, had worked in the mining industry for eight years, according to the release.

“Our hearts go out to the miner, his family and co-workers for this tragic loss of life,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.

Double Mountain Mining #3 reported having four employees in the second quarter of this year, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Source: Lexington Herald Leader

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