Citations had piled up on mine

Fri., Jan. 13, 2006

USA Today The Spokesman-Review

WASHINGTON – Just three weeks before an explosion in a West Virginia mine led to 12 deaths, the mine owner was cited for “combustible conditions” that showed “a high degree of negligence for the health and safety of the miners,” according to inspection reports released Tuesday.

The Sago Mine was cited 16 times in the last year for unsafe conditions that could have caused fires or explosions, documents from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration show. In most of those cases, coal dust and other flammable material had begun caking on the mine floor and walls.

MSHA released inspection records in response to several public information requests since the Jan. 2 accident. The agency has sought $1,221 in fines for the violations, $981 of which has been paid, according to records.

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