Panel to Hear Appeal in Maryland Mine Collapse

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is scheduled next month to hear Tri-Star Mining’s appeal of three citations and $180,000 in fines that were imposed after two workers were killed at the Barton strip mine site.

Fifty-one-year-old Dale Jones of Lonaconing and 38-year-old Michael Wilt of Frostburg were killed in April 2007 when a highwall collapsed and they were buried by 93,000 tons of rubble.

Tri-Star was cited by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration for failure to establish a safe ground-control plan in the area. Authorities also alleged Tri-Star Mining hadn’t trained miners to recognize the hazards of surface mining over abandoned underground mines.

The review commission hearing is set for Jan. 27 in Morgantown, W.Va.

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Information from: Cumberland (Md.) Times-News