Upper Big Branch Mine

Upper Big Branch Mine was a coal mine located in West Virginia, operated by Massey Energy. It extracted coal from underground tunnels using heavy equipment and miners. In 2010, a tragic explosion occurred, causing the deaths of 29 workers. The incident was caused by a buildup of methane gas and coal dust, which ignited and led to the explosion. The disaster highlighted safety issues in underground mining and resulted in investigations, fines, and improved safety regulations to prevent similar tragedies.