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

DATE: MONDAY, June 21, 1993                   TAG: 9306210095
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LUNDALE, W.VA.                                LENGTH: Medium

W.VA. POLICE INVESTIGATE GUNFIRE AT STRUCK MINE

"So far, nobody can identify anybody. Unless you can get an identification, you're nowhere," said Sgt. Glen Ables of Logan.

Ables said about 200 United Mine Workers pickets were at the Wylo Mine early Saturday when police were called. The mine is operated by Arch Mineral Corp. of St. Louis.

Two homes were hit by gunfire, Ables said.

No one was charged or seriously injured, he said.

A security guard told police he was hit by a rock, Ables said. Ables would not identify the guard and said he did not know whether the man was treated at a hospital.

Ables said tear gas was thrown, but he did not know who was involved or whether anyone was injured.

"We're still trying to determine what happened," he said.

Ables also said someone had attempted to burn a bridge leading to the complex, but the fire was extinguished.

No further problems were reported Sunday, Ables said.

Blair Gardner, vice president of Arch Mineral, said the incident occurred after company workers moved mining equipment from outlying areas of the mine. "That could have raised some concerns that we we're going to operate the mine or move equipment off the property," he said.

The Wylo Mine has not produced any coal during the strike and officials do not plan to resume operations, he said.

The mine is among those targeted in a strike that began May 10, after a 60-day contract extension with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association expired.

The union says about 14,000 miners are on strike in West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky.