W.Va. mine owner (Don Blankenship of Massey) accused of putting safety second

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

JULIAN, W.Va. (AP) - The coal mine rocked by an explosion that killed at least 25 workers in the nation's deadliest mining disaster since 1984 had been cited for 600 violations in less than a year and a half, some of them for not properly ventilating methane _ the highly combustible gas suspected in the blast.

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Testimony showed Massey CEO Don Blankenship suggested firing two supervisors for raising concerns about conveyer belt problems just before the belt caught fire.

"Massey has a history of emphasizing production," said Pittsburgh lawyer Bruce Stanley, who represented the miners' widows. "I'm concerned that they may not have learned the lessons of Aracoma."

In an interview less than 24 hours after the disaster at Upper Big Branch, Blankenship insisted the mine is no more dangerous than others of comparable size, and he defended the company's track record in a perilous business.

"It's natural that the enemies of coal would view Massey as the primary enemy," he said.

from:
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=111&sid=1928231