On this day, April 5, 2010, twenty-nine coal miners were killed in an explosion in a coal mine.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Wed Apr 5, 2023, 01:33 PM - Edit history (1)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_5

• 2010 – Twenty-nine coal miners are killed in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia.

Fri Apr 5, 2019: Remembering the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion, on April 5, 2010

David Fahrenthold Retweeted

Thinking this morning about the West Virginians who lost husbands and fathers, brothers and sons, friends and coworkers at the Upper Big Branch Mine on April 5, 2010.

youtube.com
Memorial to miners killed in the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster...
Here's a memorial slideshow to the 29 miners, ages 20 to 61, who died in the April 5, 2010,

Link to tweet

Best report to read to understand what happened, why it happened, and why it could easily happen again is this one from Davitt McAteer's investigation team:

documentcloud.org
McAteer GIIP Report on Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster

Take a couple minutes today to read through then-AUSA Steve Ruby's closing argument in the Blankenship trial. It was truly remarkable:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2515678-blankenship-trial-closing-arguments-transcript.html … (Starts on page 5935) ...

documentcloud.org
Blankenship Trial Closing Arguments - Transcript 11/17/15

Link to tweet

[underpants]

1. Don Blankenship - Massey Energy

Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship was convicted in 2015 of a misdemeanor conspiring to willfully violate safety standards and was sentenced to one year in prison.[11] He was found not guilty of charges of securities fraud and making false statements.[12]

Headquartered in Richmond. There was a protest outside their building years ago and they opened up the second floor windows and mocked the people whose town they’d destroyed.