Southern Illinois authorities say a 35-year-old coal miner died after an accident at the Wildcat Hills Mine in Saline County.
The Peabody Energy mine is closed while authorities investigate the man's death.
An initial report by the Mine Safety and Health Administration says the man was killed Tuesday afternoon after being hit by a ram car that was moving through an underground ventilation curtain.
His name hasn't been released and an autopsy is expected Wednesday.
The mine, near Eldorado in far-southern Illinois, has about 200 employees and opened in 2006.
Peabody issued a statement, calling the accident a ``coal haulage incident.''
