West Virginia Mining Accident Raises 2008 Death toll to 3

An 18-year-old International Coal Group employee died in West Virginia’s third fatal coal mining accident of the year.

State Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training spokeswoman Jama Jarrett identified the victim of the May 30 accident as Adam Lanham.

Jarrett says Lanham was run over by a scoop — a piece of equipment used to load coal — at ICG’s Sentinel Mine. Jarrett says Lanham only had five months of experience.

Jarrett says Lanham’s father and two brothers work at the Barbour County mine.

Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration records show Lanham is the 11th coal miner killed on the job in the U.S. this year.