{Washington, D.C.}...Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration investigators will soon release their final report on the 2010 explosion that killed 29 men at West Virginia's Upper Big Branch mine. MSHA says it will brief the victims' families and the media on December 6th in Beaver. MSHA, the United Mine Workers and an independent panel all agree that poorly maintained machines cutting into sandstone created a spark and created the blast when it ignited both a small amount of naturally occurring methane gas and a massive accumulation of explosive coal dust. Malfunctioning water sprayers allowed what could have been a small flare-up to become a blast. The mine was run by Massey Energy but is now owned by Virginia-based Alpha Natural Resources. MSHA is likely to cite Massey for violations that contributed.
