The Stillwwater County Sheriff's Office has identified 50-year-old Brian Hanson of Laurel as the man who died.
The sheriff's office, which also serves as the county coroner's office, said Hanson's death was the result of electrocution.
Hanson is the fourth worker to die at Stillwater Mine in the last four years.
In 2021, two employees riding in an underground utility vehicle died when they were struck by a locomotive.
In 2023, a contract worker died when he contacted rotating machinery while operating a bolter.
(1st REPORT, JULY 27, 2025) A worker at the Stillwater Mine has died following an electrical incident that happened underground on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Stillwater Mine Vice President Heather McDowell tells MTN News the employee was performing routine maintenance on the east side of the mine when the incident happened.
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Operations were immediately shut down and the night shift was canceled.
The mine remains closed and will resume on a shift-by-shift basis as the investigation continues.
Federal officials with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) are on site, along with internal investigators.
The name of the employee has not been released, pending notification of the family.
“We are heartbroken for the family,” McDowell said. “Our hearts are also with the folks who work at the site and are impacted by this loss.”
McDowell says the mine had been eight months without a safety incident and was on track for one of its best safety records in history.
