Nut of the year: miner risked major disaster by smoking underground

A former coal miner was charged Thursday with risking a major mining disaster after being accused of smoking inside an underground mine in Pennsylvania, U.S.

TribLive.com reports that Donald Adams, 51, was also charged with reckless endangerment for the incident that prosecutors say occurred on August 23, 2012, while other 117 miners were working inside.

Adams, who was fired after the incident, has admitted a burned cigarette found inside the mine was his, but has denied smoking it.

A first hearing is expected for next Thursday, Feb. 14.

This case is, unfortunately, only one of many recently reported. In May last year, for instance, an Australian miner was found with cigarettes and a lighter while working at an underground coal mine operated by Peabody Energy.

They confirm that sometimes it’s not the conditions you work under, but the people who you work with, what makes a job dangerous.