Another miner is killed in a horrific workplace accident taking the death toll to SIX in just one year – as concerns mount about the industry’s safety
- A 27-year-old mine worker was killed at Baralaba in central Queensland last night
- Incident brings number of mining and quarry worker deaths to six in 12 months
- A second miner was left seriously injured after falling off a platform earlier today
A 27-year-old mine worker has been killed in central Queensland in the sixth mining and quarry worker death in 12 months.
Police responded to the incident at Baralaba North coal mine about 2am on Sunday where the victim was later pronounced dead.
Details of how the man died have not been released but it’s believed he was working in the pit when the accident took place, according to the ABC.
Queensland Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said he was also informed of another incident at a Collinsville mine that occurred later Sunday morning.
A 27-year-old mine worker has been killed at Baralaba North coal mine in Bowen Basin, Queensland (pictured) two weeks after another miner was crushed to death at Middlemount Coal Mine
A second man, aged 57, is said to be seriously injured after falling 10 metres off a platform around 8am.
He was taken to hospital to be treated for back and pelvic injuries and is now in serious but stable condition.
‘I am extremely distressed and concerned that there has been six mining and quarry worker deaths in the last 12 months,’ Dr Lyneham said.
‘I will be following up on discussions held last week by meeting with representatives of the mining industry, including the Queensland Resources Council, CFMEU and AWU and my Department, as a matter of urgency,’ he said in a statement.
‘I will be making it absolutely clear that this situation is unacceptable and requires action.’
CFMEU’s Steve Smyth told the ABC the union only learned of the man’s death eight hours later through a Facebook post.
The incident marks Queensland’s fourth mining death in just six months raising concern over workplace safety in the industry.
In late June, miner David Routledge was killed at an accident at Middlemount Coal Mine while operating a digger.
He is understood to have been on a shelf of the mine before the wall collapsed and trapped its operator.
A 49-year-old miner for BHP Billiton died on New Year’s Eve after a dozer at the Saraji Mine rolled over.
Bradley Hardwick, 47, was killed at Queensland’s Moranbah north mine in February after the grader he was driving collided with a personnel carrier.