CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Mine Safety and Health Administration says it issued 214 violations during special inspections at nine coal mines in March.
Inspectors closed Redhawk Mining's Redhawk No. 1 in Floyd County, Ky., for 72 hours and issued 40 violations.
It has a history of releasing methane and was on notice about ventilation. Yet MSHA says there was insufficient air flow, and water sprayers that control dust weren't working properly.
MSHA also issued 38 citations and 16 unwarrantable failure orders at Perry County Coal's E3-1 Mine in Kentucky.
Inspectors found 14 accumulations of explosive material, from paper-thin coatings of coal dust to piles of coal 3 feet thick. MSHA says the hazards had clearly existed for some time.
The impact inspections began in 2010, after West Virginia's Upper Big Branch mine disaster.