Alma Miners Honored in Senate; Wife of Man Who Died Pressing for Even More Mine Safety Legislation

By JENNIFER BUNDY

The wife of a coal miner killed in an underground fire vowed to keep up pressure to improve mine safety as her family was honored by the state Senate and Gov. Joe Manchin.

The Senate gave Delorice Bragg a resolution honoring Don I. "Rizzle" Bragg and Ellery Elvis Hatfield, who died in a January fire at Massey Energy’s Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine.

The resolution said Don Bragg and Hatfield "should be remembered as brave men who died not only providing for their families, but also providing the nation with energy.

"America should be proud of these two brave men who placed themselves in the dark and dangerous environment of coal mining in order to provide fuel for the nation’s energy sources," the resolution said.

Bragg said new federal mine safety rules issued Tuesday don’t address the problem she thinks killed her husband. She believes he died because the mine air intake went along the same route as a coal belt that caught fire. But she said that is just her opinion and no investigator has told her that.

"Right now is the time to make the changes. We won’t wait," Bragg said. "We need to keep it going."

Coal companies have one month to comply with an emergency rule aimed at helping miners escape deadly accidents like the four that killed 16 mine workers in West Virginia so far this year.

The new rule requires companies to give miners an extra air pack and to store more along escape routes in some cases. They also have to make sure miners have "lifelines" along all primary and alternate escape routes, among other measures.

The federal rules are similar to those the West Virginia Legislature approved in late January.

Manchin told the Senate Wednesday that West Virginia is now a worldwide leader in mine safety.

"Technology will make sure mines in West Virginia will be the safest in the world," Manchin pledged. "We believe the value of a miner, a human being, has no price."

But Bragg said, "There’s a lot of changes that need to be made. This is just the beginning."