Former coal boss pleads not guilty in mine explosion case

Former coal mining executive Don Blankenship pleaded not guilty to criminal charges stemming from a 2010 mine explosion that killed 29.

The Thursday plea was the first court appearance for Blankenship, former chief executive officer of Massey Energy, since he was indicted last week on federal charges, including conspiracy.

{mosads}Blankenship, who has been called “The Dark Lord of Coal Country,” appeared at ease and gave short answers to the judge, The Associated Press reported. He occasionally laughed with his attorney.

Blankenship has said that natural gas was the cause of the explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, which was the deadliest mining disaster in four decades.

Multiple investigations have disagreed and blamed broken cutting equipment for a spark and broken sprinklers for not putting out the resulting blaze.

Blankenship retired from Massey later that year, and the company was sold to Alpha Natural Resources shortly thereafter.

He faces up to 31 years in prison on the federal charges. His trial has been scheduled for January.