Fatality report released for Tucker County miner killed in 2025 accident

DAVIS, W.Va. (WBOY) — The United States Mine Safety and Health Administration has released the fatality report detailing the accident that killed 25-year-old Joseph Mitchell Jr. in November 2025. According to the report, Mitchell began his shift at 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 5, 2025, at Mountain View Mine owned by Mettiki Coal, which has since announced plans to close its doors. Following a pre-shift meeting, Mitchell and the rest of the crew arrived at their assigned section at roughly 11:20 p.m. Crews were working on transporting supplies via a supply train with two locomotives and six supply cars, and were given clearance to travel. As the supply train was moving, the motormen "attempted to slow the supply train down, but they could not because the rail in this area was wet and muddy." A crew member saw the supply train continue "inby out of control" and broadcast over the radio to clear the section. The crew member in the locomotive leading the supply train saw Mitchell operating a scoop in the track haulage entry and began blowing the horn and flashing the lights. "Mitchell was observed turning and looking outby toward the supply train just before the No. 2 locomotive crashed into the scoop," the report states. "The collision pushed the scoop into the inby corner in the 58 block intersection, causing the No. 2 locomotive and five of the six supply cars to derail. The No. 1 locomotive and the sixth supply car remained on the track." Crew members found the driver of the locomotive on the floor of the vehicle, suffering from head and leg injuries. Mitchell was found unresponsive and without a pulse under the first derailed supply car. He was transported to the Garrett County Regional Medical Center at Oakland, Maryland, by the Tucker County Ambulance Authority, where he was pronounced dead at 4:16 a.m. The conclusion of the report states that the accident happened because of the following: The full report can be found here.