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January 18, 2013

Massey Energy Supervisor Sentenced to 21 Months for Safety Cover-up Ahead of Mine Disaster 
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A former superintendent at a West Virginia coal mine where an explosion
killed 29 workers has been sentenced to nearly two years in jail. Gary
May had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government,
admitting his role in tipping off miners about safety inspections,
falsifying records and disabling a methane detector. Regulators found
Massey Energy failed to uphold basic safety standards at the Upper Big
Branch mine, allowing the buildup of coal dust in the mine, which was
ignited by a spark from faulty equipment. The 2010 explosion marked the
worst coal-mining disaster in 40 years in United States.

 

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