Fluor Subsidiary Mine Collapses in Kentucky

An unexpected collapse of an underground mine operated by a Fluor Corp. subsidiary sent a large amount of water and fine coal refuse into two local streams in Kentucky last week. No one was injured.

Some local communities along the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River have closed intake valves to public water supplies following last week’s mine collapse, said Martin County Coal Corp. The company said in a press release that it is working with local and federal officials to contain the damage and provide safe water supplies.

Martin, which has pollution insurance coverage, did not estimate how much damage the collapse caused or how much it may have to pay. Martin is a unit of A.T. Massey Coal Co. Inc. in Richmond, Va., a Fluor subsidiary.

Fluor, a worldwide engineering and construction firm based in Aliso Viejo, has a proposal pending to split itself in two, creating a separate publicly held company out of the lagging Massey operation.