3 injured in Consol Energy mine accident in Washington County

Three workers were injured in a mining accident Tuesday morning in Washington County.

A 911 dispatcher told Channel 11 three patients were brought to the surface at Consol Energy’s Sparta Portal on Dry Run Road in Morris Township just after 4 a.m.

Chief Dave Dietrich of the Morris Township Volunteer Fire Department told Channel 11 that three workers — a woman and two men — were traveling inside of a mantrip — a shuttle for transporting miners — when the vehicle was hit by something.

Dietrich said the woman was flown by medical helicopter to a trauma center but is stable, and the two men were taken by ambulance with minor injuries.

Community members reacted to the news, with some saying their hearts sank when they heard what happened.

“Oh dear Lord…please be with these people because is there anybody we know? That’s one thing that you do think about,” said Brenda McCullough, who lives in the neighboring South Franklin community.

People in Morris Township told Channel 11 this isn’t the first incident at a Consol mine in the area, with first responders getting dispatched to the Archer Portal last week after reports of another injury.

In 2019, Tanner McFarland, 25, was killed at the Enlow Fork Mine in Prosperity after the Washington County coroner said a long wall gave way and collapsed on top of him.

“People here are very sensitive to this kind of thing, although they might not have any contact at all, but there’s something about it that’s down deep in your heart…for these families that have to go through this…you kind of stop and think about life for a little bit,” McCullough said.

Consol Energy released the following statement regarding the accident:

Early this morning at our Enlow Fork Mine in Morris Township, PA, there was an underground accident involving supply cars and a mantrip carrier. No individuals involved were trapped underground at any point.

Three individuals received immediate assistance by CONSOL’s safety personnel and were quickly brought out of the mine for further treatment and evaluation. Two of the individuals received further evaluation for minor injuries at a nearby hospital and were subsequently released. The third individual was flown by medical helicopter to another local hospital to be treated and evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries.

We are conducting a full-scale internal review of today’s event in order to determine the exact cause of the accident while working with all appropriate agencies.

Finally, we are incredibly thankful for CONSOL’S Mine Safety Training and Response teams, Morris Township Volunteer Fire Department, local emergency responders, and all the doctors and nurses who assisted our team today.

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