$210M settlement reached in 2010 W.Va. mine explosion

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The new owners of the West Virginia coal mine where 29 men were killed in an explosion agreed today to pay a record $210 million to cover fines, compensate victims' grieving families and improve underground safety.

It is the biggest settlement ever reached in a U.S. mine disaster.

Under the deal, Alpha Natural Resources — which acquired the mine's owner, Massey Energy, earlier this year — will not be charged with any crimes in the April 2010 blast at the Upper Big Branch mine as long as the company abides by the settlement, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said. But the agreement does not prevent individual employees from being prosecuted.

"No individuals are off the hook," Goodwin said, adding that federal prosecutors are still investigating.