Two West Virginia Coal Miners Killed In Separate Incidents Inside 24 Hours

Correction (July 27, 2026): An earlier version of this story grouped a third fatality — the November 6, 2025 death of Joseph Mitchell at the Mountain View Mine in Tucker County — with the April 2 and April 3, 2026 deaths and described "three deaths in roughly thirty days." Mitchell's death occurred about five months earlier at a different mine and has been removed. This version also corrects the operator of the Ohio County Mine (American Consolidated Natural Resources, not Murray Energy, which ceased operating after its 2020 bankruptcy) and removes a statement that could not be independently verified and was attributed to a union official who had left that office.

Two West Virginia coal miners died in separate incidents in less than 24 hours in early April. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) opened investigations at both operations.

Aaron Warrix, 53, of Chapmanville, was a shuttle car operator at the Panther Eagle Mine in Raleigh County. He was killed on April 2 when a large rock dislodged from the mine roof between two installed roof bolts while he was setting timbers. He died at the scene.

The next morning, April 3, Darin Reece, 36, was crushed by a longwall shield at the Ohio County Mine in Dallas, in Marshall County. A scoop backed into another scoop that was transporting a longwall shield. The shield shifted and pinned Reece, who was working underneath it.

Two deaths. Two operations. Less than a day apart.

Who runs the mines

The Panther Eagle Mine is operated by Marfork Coal Company, a subsidiary of Alpha Metallurgical Resources. The Ohio County Mine is operated by American Consolidated Natural Resources (ACNR), the successor to the former Murray Energy.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey released a statement mourning the two deaths.

What MSHA is looking at

MSHA's preliminary report on the Marshall County death identified the failure point as a coordination breakdown between two scoops operating in the same area. The federal agency and the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety, and Training are running parallel investigations.

For the Raleigh County death, MSHA is examining whether the roof bolt pattern met the approved roof control plan and whether the rock between the bolts had been properly checked.

Roof falls remain one of the leading causes of underground coal mining fatalities. Crushing incidents involving longwall shields are rarer but typically the result of failures in equipment-clearance and traffic-control procedures.

The MSHA investigations remain open. We'll publish more as findings are released.