Engineering Firm Settlement Reached in 2007 Mine Collapse
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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(ARLINGTON, VA.) — A settlement has been reached between the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and Agapito Associates Inc. for the August 2007 Crandall Canyon Mine disaster.
Engineering consultants have admitted poor analysis contributed to the disaster.
The engineering firm has agreed to pay $100,000 for a high-negligence violation for their role in the mine catastrophe that killed six miners and three rescue workers.
“With this settlement, Agapito takes responsibility for its role in the tragic mine collapse at Crandall Canyon,” said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “Since this tragedy occurred, the agency has made a number of enforcement, administrative and regulatory reforms to improve the health and safety of the nation’s miners, particularly in the area of roof control safety.”
Agapito Associates Inc.’s flawed engineering resulted in the collapse of roof-supporting coal pillars which created a catastrophic outburst that violently ejected coal over a half-mile area in the underground mine tunnels.
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