Coal miner says mine a 'ticking time bomb'

BECKLEY, W.Va., May 24 (UPI) -- West Virginia coal miners and family members told U.S. lawmakers Monday conditions were bad before an explosion that killed 29 miners last month.

Miners told a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee hearing in Beckley that Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine was plagued by methane and had poor ventilation, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. They also said the mine was rife with safety violations and they were threatened with being fired if they didn't work fast enough, the newspaper said.

Stanley Stewart, who said he worked at Upper Big Branch until the day of the explosion, described it as "a ticking time bomb."

"My experience in the mines showed me that the ventilation system they had didn't work," the Post-Gazette quoted Stewart as saying.

Alice Peters, mother-in-law of Dean Jones, a section foreman who was among the miners killed in the April 5 blast, told the panel he had talked about the mine's ventilation shortcomings.

"He also told me that, at least seven times, he was told by Massey supervisors that, if he shut down production because of the ventilation problems, he would lose his job," Peters said.

Steve Morgan said his son Adam, who also died in the accident, told him coal dust had been thick in the mine and steps were taken to reduce the levels when officials were "notified an inspector was on his way in."