Investigation into mine fatality ongoing
Published 4:00 pm Monday, January 14, 2019
Authorities are investigating the death of a 56-year-old Clinton, Tennessee, man who was killed in an accident at a Bell County mine on Monday.
Jeffrey Norman Sloan, 56, from Clinton, Tennessee was confirmed dead at the scene, according to Bell County Coroner Jason Steele.
Steele said authorities were called to the accident scene at Nally & Hamilton Mine in Balkan about 11:20 a.m. Monday.
“Sloan had 30-plus years mining experience setting spad in the industry and the investigation is ongoing and the Kentucky Division of Mining Safety and MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) are working together,” Steele said in a press conference Monday afternoon. He said they will reconstruct the scene to determine what happened to cause the accident.
When asked how he feels when going to scenes such as this, Steele said: “You always think about those things and you worry about the family, any children. You have to make those contacts and it really does weigh on you sometimes. You just try to get through it the best you can and be there for everyone you have to be there for.”
Steele said that he has not been made aware of any other injuries in the accident.
“The first protocol in an mining incident is to get ahold of MSHA and Kentucky Division of Mine Safety first,” he said. “They are in charge of the mine accident investigation and they start working together.”
Steele said that he will also continue his part of the investigation.
“I work hand in hand with the Kentucky Division of Mine Safety mostly from this point forward,” he explained. “I may have a little more to do with MSHA but mostly the state and the coroner work the closest throughout the investigation.”
Steele said that this is the third mining accident he has been involved in in the almost nine years he has been coroner for Bell County.
The Middlesboro Daily News will continue to follow this developing story.