Last week, two West Virginia communities suffered losses that have become much rarer — thank goodness — but still are thought of as something to be accepted as a risk taken by those who work in our coal industry.

Two coal miners died within a 24-hour stretch late last week — Thursday evening in Raleigh County and Friday morning in Marshall County.

Shuttle car operator Aaron Warrix of Chapmanville was hit by a piece of rock at the Alpha Metallurgical Resources Panther Eagle Horse Creek Mine in Raleigh County. Miner Darin Reece is believed to have been crushed between two pieces of machinery inside American Consolidated Natural Resources’ Ohio County Mine near Dallas, in Marshall County.

“The impact of these events reaches far beyond the job site,” said Gov. Patrick Morrisey. “It is felt by families, coworkers, and entire communities. That weight is even greater today, as this marks the second loss of life in West Virginia’s mining community in less than 24 hours. The West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training is on site and conducting a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident. We ask West Virginians to keep Darin’s loved ones and the entire mining community in their thoughts during this difficult time.”

As the federal Mine Safety Health Administration and state Office of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training carry out their investigations, Mountain State residents will, of course, keep those families and communities in their prayers. But we must also renew our calls for increased mine safety and oversight efforts.

As media outlets pointed out, these men are the first mining deaths reported in West Virginia this year; some also noted both mining companies had received numerous health and safety violations. West Virginia Watch reported the Panther Eagle Mine has received 50 citations for violations of MSHA’s health and safety standards just this year. Since last June, 23 MSHA citations against Panther Eagle have related to the roof control plan and protections and support to prevent injury from falling rocks and coal.

The Ohio County mine has received 29 health and safety citations since the beginning of the year, according to the report.

These tragedies occurred just a few days shy of the anniversary of the April 5, 2010, Upper Big Branch Mine disaster that killed 29 people, also in Raleigh County. The investigation into that explosion concluded that Massey Energy (which was acquired the following year by Alpha Natural Resources) had committed flagrant safety violations that contributed to the explosion.

In that case, the safety violations were found to be willful. But whether willful or simply the result of carelessness and apathy, the result is the same: Safety violations can and do result in deadly conditions for mine workers.

Federal and state investigators will no doubt be as thorough as possible in their investigations of these tragedies. Should their investigations show liability on the part of the companies, they must be just as relentless in ensuring those companies feel the consequences, and that they double their efforts to keep it from ever happening again.