Read previous Gazette mine safety coverage.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - State officials are still investigating the death a week ago of a coal miner in a trucking accident at McDowell County strip mine site.

Danny L. Jones, 38, of Bradshaw, was the fifth miner in West Virginia and the 19th miner nationwide to die on the job in 2008.

Jones was hauling coal for Bluestone Coal Corp., apparently carrying it from the company's Double Bonus underground mine, across a strip mine site to a preparation plant near Keystone, officials said.

"The truck struck the berm of the road near the crest of an average 5 percent grade at which time the drive either fell or jumped from the truck and was run over by the rear wheels," according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

It was Jones' first shift driving a truck at the operation and just his third day on the job overall, according to state and federal investigators.

"It's very concerning," said Ronald Wooten, director of the state Officer of Miners' Health, Safety and Training. "We're going to get to the bottom of it."

Wooten has already become concerned about training and supervision of inexperienced workers, following the death of an 18-year-old miner at an underground operation in Barbour County in late May. State investigators concluded that International Coal Group did not ensure the worker, Adam Lanham, was properly supervised.

Jones was employed by B&L Trucking, which was a subcontractor for Appalachian Trucking, Wooten said. Appalachian Trucking was Bluestone's trucking contractor, Wooten said.

Wooten said investigators were also concerned because the truck Jones was driving "didn't look like it was in the best condition."

State officials used to inspect coal-haulage trucks, but stopped that some time ago, Wooten said. The practice may need to be reinstituted, he said.

"We're going to take a good, hard look at that," Wooten said.

Reach Ken Ward Jr. at kw...@wvgazette.com or 348-1702.

Read previous Gazette mine safety coverage.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - State officials are still investigating the death a week ago of a coal miner in a trucking accident at McDowell County strip mine site.

Danny L. Jones, 38, of Bradshaw, was the fifth miner in West Virginia and the 19th miner nationwide to die on the job in 2008.

Jones was hauling coal for Bluestone Coal Corp., apparently carrying it from the company's Double Bonus underground mine, across a strip mine site to a preparation plant near Keystone, officials said.

"The truck struck the berm of the road near the crest of an average 5 percent grade at which time the drive either fell or jumped from the truck and was run over by the rear wheels," according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

It was Jones' first shift driving a truck at the operation and just his third day on the job overall, according to state and federal investigators.

"It's very concerning," said Ronald Wooten, director of the state Officer of Miners' Health, Safety and Training. "We're going to get to the bottom of it."

Wooten has already become concerned about training and supervision of inexperienced workers, following the death of an 18-year-old miner at an underground operation in Barbour County in late May. State investigators concluded that International Coal Group did not ensure the worker, Adam Lanham, was properly supervised.

Jones was employed by B&L Trucking, which was a subcontractor for Appalachian Trucking, Wooten said. Appalachian Trucking was Bluestone's trucking contractor, Wooten said.

Wooten said investigators were also concerned because the truck Jones was driving "didn't look like it was in the best condition."

State officials used to inspect coal-haulage trucks, but stopped that some time ago, Wooten said. The practice may need to be reinstituted, he said.

"We're going to take a good, hard look at that," Wooten said.

Reach Ken Ward Jr. at kw...@wvgazette.com or 348-1702.