‘He was one of the good ones’: Heartfelt tributes flow for a young miner who was killed in a horrific workplace accident
- Jack Gerdes, 27, was fatally injured at Baralaba North Coal Mine in Queensland
- He has been remembered as a good bloke who was always up for a laugh
- The site has been shut down but could open again on Wednesday
A miner who died while working the night shift at a central Queensland open-cut coal mine on the weekend was one of the good blokes, always up for a laugh or a chat, his friends say.
Jack Gerdes, 27, was fatally injured at the Baralaba North Coal Mine early on Sunday.
Golding says the experienced mining operator was delivered to an excavator in the open mining pit about 1.30am on Sunday to begin waste mining activities.
A miner who died while working the night shift at a central Queensland open-cut coal mine on the weekend was one of the good blokes, always up for a laugh or a chat, his friends say (stock image)
He was found on the stairs of the excavator with injuries to his head, face and limbs after he failed to respond to the first truck that turned up for loading, Golding says in a statement.
It is believed he became caught between the body of the excavator and the safety rails of the stairs.
How that happened is the focus of an investigation.
The site remains shut down but mining may resume on Wednesday, says Golding Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Caton.
His death has devastated colleagues and now a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help his family pay his funeral expenses.
‘Jack was one of the good ones,’ the page, under the heading ‘Saying Goodbye to Jack’, says.
Bradley Hardwick (pictured) was killed during an underground collision at Anglo American’s Moranbah North mine in February
‘Always up for a laugh or a chat. He touched so many people with his loyalty, compassion and dry sense of humor. He always had a smile and will be missed greatly.’
The campaign has so far raised almost $1700 of the $20,000 target.
Mr Gerdes’ death is the sixth mining fatality – four of whom were coal workers – in Queensland in the past 12 months.
It prompted crisis talks on mine safety on Monday between the Queensland government, representatives of the mining industry and unions including the QRC, CFMMEU and AWU.
After the meeting, State Mines Minister Anthony Lynham announced a review into fatal coal mine incidents would be expanded to include mineral mine and quarry incidents since 2000.
Forensic structural engineer Sean Brady will lead the review, to be completed by the end of the year, which will examine how the industry can improve safety.
The University of Queensland will also examine the sector’s health and safety legislation to ensure it’s up to date with mining practice and technology.
CFMMEU Queensland mining and energy president Steve Smyth said was a good start to improving industry safety.
Just hours after the fatality at Baralaba North, a man, 57, was injured when he fell about 10 metres from a platform at Glencore’s Collinsville Coal Mine.
He suffered suspected back and pelvic injuries and the Mines Inspectorate is investigating.