Workers at the troubled underground Grosvenor coal mine in Central Queensland have been evacuated after a fire this morning.
Resources Safety Health Queensland says it was notified of an ignition of methane at the Grosvenor coal mine close to Moranbah.Â
It’s the identical mine the place 5 workers suffered extensive burns after a methane explosion in May 2020.
A RSHQ spokesperson mentioned mines inspectors had been attending the location.
“We understand all workers have been removed from underground and accounted for, with no injuries reported,” they mentioned.
A spokesperson for mine proprietor Anglo America mentioned there have been no accidents and all employees had been protected.
Full investigation
The fire comes simply weeks after the Queensland Parliament handed new laws aimed at bettering security in the sources sector.
One of the important thing amendments is the implementation of essential controls – an essential suggestion from the Coal Mining Board of Inquiry.
Resources minister Scott Stewart confirmed that there had been an incident.
“There has been a serious incident at Anglo American’s Grosvenor underground coal mine this morning,” he mentioned.
“Thankfully I’m told there has been no injuries but this is obviously concerning.
“I’m suggested security inspectors and employees’ representatives are heading to the mine now and there shall be a full investigation.
“Queenslanders have a right to come home safely from their work and I expect a full and thorough investigation into this.”
Mining and Energy Union business security and well being consultant Jason Hill mentioned any incident that had put the lives of miners at threat was a priority.
“It shouldn’t happen, obviously there are some controls that have failed and that’s something we need to get to the bottom of.
“Until I get there and perceive what has occurred we cannot know extra,” Mr Hill mentioned.
The 2020 catastrophe
In the late afternoon of May 6, 2020, emergency services raced to the Grosvenor mine, where an explosion had occurred underground.
Those in the immediate area of the blast were badly burned and one of the men describing the experience as “like standing in a blowtorch”.
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The Coal Mine Board of Inquiry into the catastrophe in addition to 40 different excessive potential incidents discovered the mine’s fuel drainage techniques could not deal with the speed of manufacturing.
Anglo coal divestment
The incident comes as Anglo American announced the plan sale of all of its Australian coal mines after rejecting a takeover bid from rival BHP.
It owns five coking coal mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin — Moranbah North, Capcoal, Dawson, Aquila and Grosvenor.
Anglo American’s 5 operations make use of about 5,000 employees plus contractors, based on the mining union.
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