Crews in West Virginia have been tirelessly working to rescue a miner trapped inside a flooded underground coal mine, as efforts entered their fifth day on Wednesday. The incident has drawn intense attention and a coordinated response from state agencies and rescue teams, highlighting both the dangers of coal mining and the resilience of the local community.
The trapped worker is believed to be located about three-quarters of a mile inside the Rolling Thunder Mine, near the small community of Belva, approximately 50 miles east of Charleston, the state capital. The flooding occurred after miners inadvertently breached an old mine wall, releasing a massive influx of water into the tunnels. Governor Patrick Morrisey emphasized that the ongoing work remains a rescue operation, underscoring the urgency and hope that the trapped individual could still be saved.
To combat the flooding, crews have deployed powerful pumping equipment capable of removing water at an extraordinary rate—about 6,000 gallons (nearly 23,000 liters) per minute. This volume is equivalent to filling an Olympic-sized swimming pool in less than two hours. Despite the significant progress in draining the mine, officials note that a substantial amount of water remains, complicating efforts to reach the trapped miner safely.
Governor Morrisey praised the dedication of the rescue teams, stating, “I think people are doing everything imaginable. There’s no quit in anyone here.” The response has involved a variety of tactics beyond pumping, including drilling boreholes to access the mine from above and deploying specialized dive teams prepared to navigate the flooded passages. To facilitate communication underground, the National Cave Rescue Commission has contributed surplus Army phones attached to long wires, enabling contact across great distances within the mine’s complex network.
The Rolling Thunder Mine is one of eleven underground coal mines operated in West Virginia by Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc., a Tennessee-based company. Alpha also manages several surface and underground mines in both West Virginia and neighboring Virginia. The mine is situated near an abandoned mining area last worked in the 1930s and 1940s, which may have contributed to the flooding risk when an old mine wall was compromised.
A February report prepared for Alpha by engineering consultants Marshall Miller & Associates detailed the geology and mining history of the area. The report noted that the region had been extensively explored by previous owners, generating substantial historical data that Alpha reviewed before proceeding with mining operations. The document also acknowledged that the Rolling Thunder coal seam lies along and beneath the drainage area of TwentyMile Creek but concluded there were no significant hydrologic concerns that would preclude coal extraction. Nevertheless, the flooding incident highlights the challenges and unpredictable nature of mining in areas with complex underground workings.
The region encompassing the mine is known not only for its rich coal seams but also for its natural beauty and tourism. Nearby attractions include the Gauley River, famous for its popular fall whitewater rafting season, and the New River Gorge National Park, the newest national park in the United States. The rural setting around the mine is sparsely populated, with the closest business being a convenience store about 15 minutes away via winding roads. Local businesses located about 30 minutes from the site have stepped up to support the rescue effort by providing food for the crews, and the mining company itself has brought in a food truck to sustain those involved in the ongoing operation.
Governor Morrisey reflected on the strong ties between miners and the local community, saying, “Miners are part of the family. They’ve contributed so much to West Virginia. This is part of the fabric of our state. When times are tough, people step up and deliver. I think that’s what’s happening here.” This sense of solidarity has been evident throughout the response, as friends, families, and officials have rallied around the rescue teams and the trapped miner.
Local officials have also drawn parallels to past mining tragedies and rescues in the region. Nicholas County Commissioner Garrett Cole reminded residents of a 1968 accident at Hominy Falls, where miners working for Gauley Coal and Coke accidentally broke into an unmapped abandoned mine, causing flooding. That disaster resulted in four deaths, but 15 miners were rescued after five days, with six others brought to the surface after ten days underground. Cole also cited the 2002 Quecreek Mine rescue in southwestern Pennsylvania, where nine miners trapped by flooding were saved after more than three days. “Miracles CAN Happen – Have Faith!” Cole wrote on social media, encouraging hope amid the uncertainty.
The dangers of coal mining in West Virginia remain starkly evident this