Arlington, VA – Operators of the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah have agreed to pay almost $1 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Labor over the August 2007 collapse that killed eight miners and a Mine Safety and Health Administration inspector.
The agreement, announced Sept. 27, involves Genwal Resources Inc. and Andalex Resources Inc., subsidiaries of Murray Energy Corp.
MSHA’s investigation determined the collapse was caused by inadequate mine design. Six miners died in the initial collapse, and two others and an inspector were killed in another collapse 10 days later while trying to rescue them.
Under the settlement, the initial fine of approximately $1.6 million was reduced more than 40 percent to $949,351. The remaining violations included four “contributory” citations – meaning the company’s violations contributed to the incident – and three flagrant violations.
The settlement is pending approval from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission.
