Authorities say a coal miner was killed over the weekend in an accident at a mine in southwestern Pennsylvania.
At approximately 12:15 AM on June 28, 2015, John William “Bill” Kelly, 55 years old, of Albright, West Virginia a long-term employee of Mepco, LLC, was fatally injured. According to a release from Mepco, Kelly died in an accident at the Company’s 4 West Mine located near Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. In the release, Mepco also released this statement:
"We at the Company are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague. During this very difficult time, we extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Bill’s family, to all our employees, and to all who knew Bill."
Operations at the mine were suspended as of 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning. The Green County coroner’s office says Kelly died shortly after 1:30 a.m. Sunday in the emergency room at Southwest Regional Medical Center.
Authorities said Kelly had been injured while working at a mine in Mount Morris.
The coroner’s office said preliminary information indicates that he was injured by “some type of air shaft/mine door coming down upon him.”
The cause and manner of death are pending a final autopsy.
Kelly is the eighth coal miner to die in the U.S. this year.