Read more about the mining deaths on the Coal Tattoo blog.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  The truck being driven by a McDowell County coal miner who died in August was riddled with mechanical problems that contributed to the fatal accident, according to a report released Wednesday by state regulators.

Inspectors from the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training found eight violations that contributed to the death of Danny L. Jones, 38, of Bradshaw, in the Aug. 22 accident at a Bluestone Coal Corp. operation.

Jones was killed when he apparently lost control of the truck as it went down a hill on the Pumpkin Patch haulroad near Burke Mountain, Keystone, according to the report.

Bradshaw was driving for B&L Trucking, a subcontractor for Appalachian Leasing, which was contracted to haul coal from various mining operations located on Bluestone Coal's properties to the Keystone Service Industries' Preparation Plant located at Keystone.

State investigators found violations related to the truck's brakes, the lack of a seat belt and disconnected engine shutdown controls. They also found the truck's cab "was in very poor condition and highly unstable relative to multiple holes, cracks and rust in numerous places, including cab floor board." Investigators also reported that there was no record that the company examined the truck for defects before it was used.

The report on Jones' death was one of three coal-mining fatality reports released Wednesday during a meeting of the state Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety.

In another report, state investigators cited Massey Energy subsidiary Alex Energy in a Sept. 19 accident that killed 61-year-old miner James Otis Woods of Nettie.

Read more about the mining deaths on the Coal Tattoo blog.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  The truck being driven by a McDowell County coal miner who died in August was riddled with mechanical problems that contributed to the fatal accident, according to a report released Wednesday by state regulators.

Inspectors from the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training found eight violations that contributed to the death of Danny L. Jones, 38, of Bradshaw, in the Aug. 22 accident at a Bluestone Coal Corp. operation.

Jones was killed when he apparently lost control of the truck as it went down a hill on the Pumpkin Patch haulroad near Burke Mountain, Keystone, according to the report.

Bradshaw was driving for B&L Trucking, a subcontractor for Appalachian Leasing, which was contracted to haul coal from various mining operations located on Bluestone Coal's properties to the Keystone Service Industries' Preparation Plant located at Keystone.

State investigators found violations related to the truck's brakes, the lack of a seat belt and disconnected engine shutdown controls. They also found the truck's cab "was in very poor condition and highly unstable relative to multiple holes, cracks and rust in numerous places, including cab floor board." Investigators also reported that there was no record that the company examined the truck for defects before it was used.

The report on Jones' death was one of three coal-mining fatality reports released Wednesday during a meeting of the state Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety.

In another report, state investigators cited Massey Energy subsidiary Alex Energy in a Sept. 19 accident that killed 61-year-old miner James Otis Woods of Nettie.

Woods was operating a bulldozer for Alex Energy contractor AJM Corp. at the No. 1 Surface Mine near Drennen, Nicholas County. He was attempting to grade a previously reclaimed area of the mine when the dozer he was operating overturned and rolled four times to the bottom of a steep grade, the state report said. Woods died on Oct. 4 from injuries sustained in the accident.

State investigators concluded that the area where Woods was working was too steep for him to control his dozer, especially given that the ground there consisted of dry, loose dirt mixed with large rocks.

"This was also an area, near the previously exposed highwall, that had tightly wedged large rocks that had to be pried from the lightly blasted material to grade the outer slope," the state report said. "These conditions made it difficult to maintain full control of the equipment being used to grade the slope."

In the third report, state investigators recommended new regulations to govern the safety of barge loading facilities associated with coal operations.

Mark McIntyre, 58, fell into the Ohio River and drowned on Dec. 29, while he was checking for accumulations of standing water in the cargo area of barges at CONSOL Energy's Ireland Loadout in Marshall County.

"Currently, no regulations exist pertaining to the operation of river facilities or pertaining to safety requirements for individuals working on moored barges," the state report said.

Ron Wooten, the state's mine safety director, has said he wants new regulations to allow his inspectors to police such barge facilities.

The state report also recommended that CONSOL revise its safety program to include working on river barges.

Reach Ken Ward Jr. at kw...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1702.