State officials have confirmed the death of a coal mine employee in Harlan County who was in a mine when the roof collapsed Sunday night.
The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet says 33-year old James Brown of Lynch, a roof bolter operator with 13 years of experience, was killed when a roof collapsed about 14,000 feet into the mine where he was working.
Brown’s body was recovered from the mine about 9 p.m. Monday and operations at the D-29 Darby Fork mine in Holmes Mill remained closed Tuesday as the incident is under investigation.