NATION IN BRIEF : KENTUCKY : Mine Owner Cited for Safety Violations

The operator of a Kentucky mine where 10 workers died in an explosion last year was cited for 121 alleged violations of federal safety laws. The Labor Department’s Mine Safety and Health Administration said 42 violations against Pyro Mining Co. involved “reckless disregard” of safety, the highest degree of negligence in the agency’s penalty system. James Greenlee, executive vice president of Costain Coal Inc., which owns Pyro, said the company was reviewing the alleged violations. An agency report earlier this month said 10 specific violations contributed to the Sept. 13 explosion in Wheatcroft, Ky.