Special Edition: One Dead, Ten Injured Underground Mine

One dead, 10 injured in mine tragedy
February 21, 2019 4:50 pm in Queensland by Jaydan Duck
Source

ONE person has been killed and 10 others injured in an accident at a coal mine in Central Queensland.

It’s understood a grader and a personnel carrier collided underground, in the access drift to the mine in Moranbah North about 4.15pm on Wednesday.

Sadly, the mine’s operator, Anglo American, released a statement, confirming that the driver of the grader had been killed in the accident.

The father aged in his 40s received immediate treatment and was taken to hospital but died a short time later.

It’s understood 10 other miners sustained head, neck and facial injuries, while four of them were treated for possible spinal injuries.

Anglo American said four of the injured employees had since been released from hospital and were recovering.

It’s understood they had been flown to hospitals in Mackay and Rockhampton for treatment.

The incident has rocked the small tight-knit community of Moranbah North.

Executive head of underground operations, Glen Britton, said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the accident.

“We are devastated by the tragic loss of one of our employees in the incident that occurred yesterday at Moranbah North,” Mr Britton said.

“We are working with the relevant authorities to understand how this incident occurred.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family of our employee who passed away yesterday and we are doing everything we can to support them and our colleagues affected by this incident.”

Work has stopped at the mine and will not start back up again until the incident is released by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and the mine can safely resume operation.

Thanks for the share, GH.