2 More West Virginia Families Reach Sago Mine Settlements

Court records show that families of two more workers who died in the Sago Mine disaster have settled their lawsuits with the mine’s operator.

Details of the settlement with International Coal Group were not made public in Kanawha Circuit Court in West Virginia.

The settlement involved the estates of Fred Ware and Marty Bennett, and brings to six the number of families who have reached accords with ICG.

Wrongful death cases filed by six other Sago families are still pending.

On Jan. 2, 2006, a methane gas explosion destroyed concrete foam blocks used to close off an abandoned section of the mine where the blast occurred. Thirteen miners were trapped and only one survived.

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Information from: The Charleston Gazette,
http://www.wvgazette.com