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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 9, 1993                   TAG: 9301090284
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY  
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLESTON, W.VA.                                LENGTH: Short

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W.VA. CITES MINE OWNER FOR 8 VIOLATIONS

Consolidation Coal Co. has been cited for eight violations of state mine safety laws at a mine on the Virginia-West Virginia border where five men were injured last week.

Investigators do not believe any of the violations contributed directly to the Dec. 29 methane fire at the Amonate No. 31 mine in Amonate, Va., said Steve Webber, director of the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training.

But two of the violations, involving damaged wiring and electrical cables on two mine shuttle cars, could have caused sparks to ignite methane gas, Webber said.

All eight violations involved electrical problems, Webber said. He did not elaborate on the remaining six.

He said the citations are "not conclusive of all that we will be issuing" related to the flash fire.

Consolidation spokesman Paul Kvederis in Pittsburgh said Friday the only citation the company had received related to an "inadequate bleeder system that is used to vent methane to the surface."

"We believe further investigation is needed to determine whether the bleeder system is adequate now after the incident as well as before the incident," he said.

No citations have been issued by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, Kvederis said.

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