Darrel Winstead and Samuel Lindsey, two Kentucky miners, have died after becoming trapped on Friday when a wall collapsed at the Armstrong Coal Company's Equality Boot Mine, located in Centertown, Ohio County, Kentucky.
On Friday morning around 6:30am EDT, the two men were driving a truck near a highwall when falling rock trapped the men in their truck. Armstrong Coal Company later confirmed to 14 News that the two trapped miners had died. According to CNN, several other miners were injured from the incident.
WFPL writes that the two men's bodies were recovered at around 1:15pm EDT. The men were 47-year-old Darrel Winstead of Madisonville and 23-year-old Samuel Lindsey of Mortons Gap.
According to the Associated Press, Ohio County coroner Larry Bevil says the men were likely killed immediately by the rock pile.
The news organization reports that the men worked as blasters for Mine Equipment and Mill Supply Company.
State officials are investigating.
Armstrong Coal Company's website describes Equality Boot mine, writing, "Armstrong's newest active mine, is a surface mine located near the city of Centertown in Ohio County, Kentucky that extracts steam coal from the West Kentucky #14, 13, 12 and 11 coal seams."
"Mine safety is of paramount importance, and investigative teams will begin work immediately to determine the cause of this accident and whether there are any steps that can be taken to ensure such an accident does not occur again," Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said in a statement Friday.
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in a statement offered his condolences and said he appreciates "the dedication of Kentucky's coal community."
In June, three workers were trapped in another coal mine in Kentucky. All three were rescued from the mine the same day.
At another mine in Western Kentucky, two miners were killed in April 2010 after a roof collapsed. According to AP, the mine had "a long history of safety problems."
Earlier this week, the former security chief of the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia was convicted of impeding the investigation of the worst U.S. coal mining disaster in decades. Last year, 29 miners were killed by an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine.
Note: Earlier reports incorrectly said that Samuel Lindsey was 33. He was 23 years old.
WATCH 14 News footage of the first responders: