Sign Up
..... Connect Australia with the world.
Categories

Posted: 2024-07-15 04:03:58

In short:

It's been two weeks since the underground Grosvenor Coal Mine in central Queensland caught fire and exploded.

Mine owner Anglo American says the mine is almost temporarily sealed and smoke is no longer coming from shafts. 

What's next?

The industry regulator Resources Safety Health Queensland is progressing with an investigation into the incident.

It's about 5.40am on a Saturday when a flash of flame disappears up a mine tunnel like the fiery blast from a dragon's breath.

Some miners describe it like a scene from Game of Thrones, some see a bright orange glow or just a flash.

Others don't see it at all.

In an instant the workers know there's a high chance of an explosion and they need to get out.

Fire burning behind clouds of dark smoke and transportable buildings on a mine site.

The fire started when methane gas ignited in the mine.(Supplied)

Some know this fear well; they were there in 2020 when the Grosvenor Coal Mine in central Queensland exploded, seriously injuring five workers.

While the investigation into last month's incident at the mine is ongoing, the Mining and Energy Union has spoken to some miners about their escape.

Union general vice president Steven Smyth said the crew was nearing the end of their shift. It had been a challenging night with a cavity in the mine ceiling causing loose coal and dust.

"The flame went away from them, which would have been quite traumatic and frightening to see," Mr Smyth said.

"But the saving grace is, if there is any in this whole situation, it's that the flame went down the return and not across the coalface where the workers were.

"There's still a bit of conjecture about what happened, but what we do know is they were working on the longwall face and had stopped operating at a point in time."

A mine worker walks inside a tunnel.

Workers made their way up the longwall face to evacuate. (File photo)(Supplied: Anglo American)

Mr Smyth said workers were in near darkness as they evacuated, guided only by the light of their cap lamps as they ran to board drift runners (heavy-duty people movers) that were already waiting to take them to the surface at shift's end.

He said the area was normally well lit, but power had been cut to stop mining equipment that could be an ignition source if there were raised methane gas levels. 

"There would have been an instantaneous blanket of darkness, and then to hear the noises … you've got pressure change and your ears are popping, the ventilation is going everywhere,.

"The miners are very experienced and well trained, so they immediately made their way up the longwall face to evacuate.

"They know how to do their job and in an event like this they've got to self-escape.

"The mindset is get in that drift runner and get out, because there's a good chance no-one's coming to get you. It's just too dangerous with thick smoke and gas explosions."

How could this happen again?

Last month's incident was very emotional for the miners who had survived the 2020 Grosvenor mine explosion, Mr Smyth said.

"It's very hard for them. Would you go back for a third time?"

Anglo American, the mine operator, said there would be an investigation "into the nature and cause of this incident".

View More
  • 0 Comment(s)
Captcha Challenge
Reload Image
Type in the verification code above