Suit Filed in Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster

A lawsuit filed by a miner’s widow says the Mine Safety and Health Administration didn’t do enough to stop the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster. The Gazette-Mail reports Carolyn Diana Davis filed the lawsuit in the explosion that killed 29 miners in 2010. It happened during a shift change, when a spark ignited a pocket of methane, causing massive explosions at the mine. The lawsuit cites reports from the Governor’s Independent Investigation Panel, selected by then-Gov. Joe Manchin, which said MSHA knew about UBB’s faulty ventilation system and ignored warning signs.