Hundreds Mourn Miner at Funeral in W.Va.

By Associated Press

MAN, W.Va. — Two coal trucks covered in black ribbons and wreaths led the funeral procession on Sunday for Don I. “Rizzle” Bragg, one of two West Virginia coal miners killed following a fire deep underground earlier this month.

The service was held at the Man High School field house because no other building in this state’s southwestern small town could hold the several hundred mourners. Dozens of supporters held signs with messages such as “West Virginia loves our coal miners.”

Bragg, 33, and Ellery “Elvis” Hatfield, 47, died after a belt- line fire in Massey Energy’s Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine on Jan. 19. Hatfield was buried Friday.

Their deaths came shortly after 12 other miners died as a result of a Jan. 2 explosion at International Coal Group’s Sago Mine across the state. Only Randal McCloy Jr., 26, survived. He was transferred last week to a rehabilitation center in Morgantown, W.Va., where doctors say he continues to improve.