May 22, 2026 - A man is dead after a May 20 accident left him injured while performing maintenance work on equipment at the Combs Branch Mine in Perry County.

According to a release from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Preston Pollard, 25, was fatally injured when the accident occurred around 10:10 a.m. Pollard worked as a certified miner at the site near Chavies, roughly three hours southeast of Louisville.

“I hope all of Kentucky will join Britainy and me as we pray for Preston’s family during this difficult time,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement. “This accident is a tough reminder of the dangers our miners, both surface and underground, face every day.”

All mining operations were shut down after the incident, and they will continue to be suspended until the investigation is complete.

According to federal data, Kentucky has not had a fatal coal mining accident since 2023, making the May 20 accident the first in roughly three years.

Pine Branch Mining's Perry County operation has previously supplied coal to East Kentucky Power Cooperative, fueling the utility's Cooper power plant, according to federal data.

The Pine Branch complex, which is owned by the coal giant Blackhawk Mining, sold nearly 1 million tons last year, according to the company.

The mine has had dozens of citations since 2019, according to a violations report from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, amounting to thousands of dollars in penalties. Some citations were related to regulations on keeping machinery in safe operating condition, among other federal standards.