April 8, 2026 - Two coal miners died in separate underground accidents last Thursday evening and Friday morning. The West Virginia Office of Miner’s Health Safety and Training has released its initial findings.  

In the first incident, at the Panther Eagle Mine, owned by Alpha Metallurgical Resources in Raleigh County, Aaron Warrix a 53-year-old Shuttle Car Operator with 23 years of mine experience, 6 years at this mine was fatally injured while setting mine posts at the face of a retreat mining section. A section of mine roof—5′ long, 2′ wide and approximately 4″ thick—fell and struck him, knocking him to the mine floor.  

According to the report, Warrix was conscious and talking the entire time while responders placed him on a backboard and treated him for possible neck, back, and leg injuries, as well as a laceration on his head.  

Shortly after the EMTs placed Warrix in the ambulance, he went into cardiac arrest.  Paramedics worked with him during transport to a medical facility.  After about 3 1/2 hours at the facility, he went into cardiac arrest again and passed away.  

The second accident involved Darin Reece, a 36-year-old Continuous Miner Section Supervisor with 18 years of experience. 11 of those years were at the at the American Consolidated Natural Resources – Ohio County Coal Resources, Ohio County Mine in Marshall County near Dallas, WV where the incident occurred. 

Reece was the supervisor on duty and was moving longwall equipment. While working on the hauler machine near the winch area, standing between the longwall shield and the hauler’s frame, another shield hauler contacted the shield from behind. This pushed Reece against the first shield hauler. 

He was pinned between the two separate pieces of equipment, resulting in crush injuries.   

Six West Virginia miners died in 2025, accounting for 75% of all coal miners killed at work nationwide last year.  

Both accidents remain under investigation by the Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training, company officials and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.