Illinois coal mine operator faces nearly $1.2M fine over actions related to fire

M-Class Mining LLC, operator of the MC No. 1 coal mine in Franklin County, Ill., could be responsible for nearly $1.2 million in civil penalties for safety violations, the U.S. Labor Department said June 17.

The agency's Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, issued 14 citations to the mine related to an underground fire that occurred Aug. 13, 2021. The MSHA determined that the operator did not follow the appropriate program to evacuate the miners nor did it notify the MSHA of the fire within 15 minutes of its start as legally required or fully comply with federal orders to remove miners from the site.

After learning of the unextinguished fire through an anonymous complaint, the MSHA began an investigation Aug. 14, 2021.

M-Class Mining is a subsidiary of Foresight Energy LP, and the MC No. 1 mine is part of Foresight's Sugar Camp coal mining complex. Foresight did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Two of the citations related to miner safety are flagrant, meaning the operator could receive the highest penalty legally permissible.

"M-Class Mining LLC deliberately jeopardized the lives of the very miners it was responsible for protecting and violated numerous important safety and health standards in the process," Chris Williamson, assistant secretary for mine safety and health, said in a news release. "The fact that this operator continued business as usual while miners underground had no idea there was an ongoing fire hazard more than justifies the civil penalties that we propose."

In 2021, the MC No. 1 Mine produced roughly 7.9 million tons of useable coal, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.

M-Class Mining has 30 days to pay or contest the penalties or citations to the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission.

S&P Global Commodity Insights produces content for distribution on S&P Capital IQ Pro.