Upper Big Branch Mine disaster
The Upper Big Branch Mine disaster occurred on April 5, 2010 roughly 1,000 feet (300 m) underground in Raleigh County, West Virginia at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch coal mine located in Montcoal. Twenty-nine out of thirty-one miners at the site were killed. The coal dust explosion occurred at 3:27 pm. The accident was the worst in the United States since 1970, when 38 miners were killed at Finley Coal Company's No. 15 and 16 mines in Hyden, Kentucky. A state funded independent investigation later found Massey Energy directly responsible for the blast.
Upper Big Branch Miners Memorial interpretive sign
Memorial monument
Raleigh County, West Virginia
Raleigh County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 74,591. Its county seat is Beckley. The county was founded in 1850 and is named for Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh County is included in the Beckley, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Raleigh County Courthouse in Beckley
President Barack Obama stands for prayer on April 25, 2010, at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center, while attending a memorial service for the 29 miners who were killed in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster.
The Flag Of Raleigh County in Beckley