April 7, 2026 - The 29 men who lost their lives in an underground explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine 16 years ago were honored in ceremonies Monday in Beckley, WV.

Investigations showed the massive gas and coal dust explosion could have been avoided if basic, well-tested and historically proven safety procedures had been followed.

"This is something we do every year to make sure that these men's lives are not forgotten,” ceremony organizer Mick Bates said. “We do it for the families. We do it for the community that we affected by this terrible tragedy 16 years ago. We also acknowledge the fact that men continue to do this dangerous work. We lost another one here in Raleigh County just last week."

In 2010, 38 miners died in West Virginia, including 29 in the Upper Big Branch disaster. In recent years, numbers are much lower (generally 2–6 per year), reflecting long-term declines in mining deaths due to regulation and fewer coal miners.

An annual ceremony honors the lives of those lost in one of West Virginia's deadliest mining disasters.

Photo: (WCHS)

The brother of UBB victim Benny Willingham isn't sure mine safety has improved that much after the deaths of two miners in West Virginia in less than 24 hours last week.

"I don't know if they have or not,” Jeremiah Willingham said. “I worked in the mines for 11 years and I got out. Benny, he loved mining. He loved going underground and working. He was a wonderful guy. I'm not just saying that but he was. Everybody thought the world of Benny."

He and the other UBB miners also have their story told in a large memorial display in Whitesvillle.

A different memorial at the mine site underlines just how dangerous coal mining is. We got a reminder of that last week when miners in Raleigh County and Marshall County died in separate accidents.