The 65 or so high school seniors of Tygarts Valley High School shared a moment of silence during their graduation ceremony last night (The InterMountain reports) to mourn the death of Adam Lanham, 18, who died on Friday, May 30 at ICG’s Sentinel Mine.  The young coal miner was a 2007 graduate of Tygarts Valley High School, and reportedly was pinched between the mine rib and a coal scoop. News reports (here) state that the “red hat” (apprentice) miners’ father and two brothers also worked at the Sentinel Mine. 

ICG’s website makes no mention of the young man’s death.  The company says:

“We care about the health, safety and well-being of our employees, and we do our very best to protect our miners and provide them with a safe working environment.”

Maybe ICG’s “very best” is just not good enough.