SWISS — A mine foreman missing since Saturday has been found dead inside the Rolling Thunder Mine near Swiss in Nicholas County, officials said Thursday.
Steve Lipscomb was discovered by a two-man search team around 7:37 a.m., Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced during the 2025 Governor’s Energy Summit in Charleston.
Morrisey said rescue crews were able to enter the mine around 6 a.m. Thursday after water levels receded enough to allow safe access underground.
“This morning’s news is absolutely heartbreaking,” Morrisey said in a statement. “Denise and I are devastated to learn of the loss of Mr. Lipscomb, and we are praying for his family, friends and co-workers during this difficult time.”
“Over the past several days, crews have worked around the clock with courage, skill and determination, doing everything humanly possible to bring their colleague home,” he said. “Their commitment and teamwork reflect the very best of West Virginia. Our state knows this kind of pain all too well. Mining is more than an industry here — it’s a brotherhood, a way of life and a source of pride. When tragedy strikes, we grieve together, we stand together and we support one another as one West Virginia family.”
Lipscomb had been unaccounted for since Saturday, when the mine filled with water. Seventeen other miners working on the production crew were able to escape as the entries flooded. The flooding followed a broken seal that led into an old mine works, officials said.
The state Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, along with the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, will investigate the cause of the flood.
