24-Year-Old Miner Dies After in Machinery Incident at Warrior Met Coal Mine

A 24-year-old miner from Cordova died Wednesday evening following an apparent machinery accident at Warrior Met Coal Inc., an underground coal mine, in Tuscaloosa County. The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office identified the person as Justin Calloway, of Cordova. The incident happened around 6 p.m. on July 1 in the 22000 block of Highway 69 North near Berry. Investigators said Calloway was found unresponsive underground. He was transported to the surface but did not survive. The Violent Crimes Unit responded to investigate the death, as is standard protocol for deaths occurring in Tuscaloosa County, according to the sheriff's office. Based on the preliminary investigation, authorities believe the death resulted from a machinery accident while Calloway was working underground. Investigators said there is no indication of foul play. The Violent Crimes Unit is working with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences Medical Examiner's Office to determine the official cause and manner of death. Federal agencies, including the Mine Safety and Health Administration, are also investigating the incident. According to its website, Warrior Met Coal is an Alabama-based producer and exporter of steelmaking coal used in steel production. The company operates underground longwall mining operations in Alabama and supplies coal to steel manufacturers in Europe, South America and Asia.