Key Takeaways
- A roof collapse occurred at the Curragh coal mine in Blackwater, central Queensland, on Friday afternoon
- Two workers were caught in the collapse, with one taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the other remaining unaccounted for
- Emergency services, including police and ambulance crews, are searching for the missing miner
- The incident occurred in the underground section of the mine, approximately 1 kilometre from the entrance
- Resources Safety and Health Queensland is overseeing the response and investigation into the incident
Introduction to the Incident
A serious incident has occurred at the Curragh coal mine in Blackwater, central Queensland, resulting in one worker being taken to hospital and another remaining missing. The incident happened on Friday afternoon, when a roof collapse occurred in the underground section of the mine. Emergency services received reports of the collapse at approximately 3pm, and quickly responded to the scene. According to Queensland Police, two men who were working at the mine were caught in the collapse, which is believed to have occurred about 1 kilometre from the mine’s entrance.
Response and Rescue Efforts
The response to the incident has been swift, with emergency services, including police and ambulance crews, arriving at the scene shortly after the collapse. One of the workers who was caught in the collapse was located and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, before being taken to hospital. However, the second worker remains unaccounted for, and a search and rescue operation is currently underway to locate him. Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ), the government entity responsible for overseeing mining workplaces, has confirmed that its officers are at the scene, working alongside ambulance and police crews to search for the missing miner.
The Curragh Mine Site
The Curragh mine site is a large operation, covering approximately 256 square kilometres across two separate mines. The site has been in operation since 1983, with the oldest part of the site including a large open-cut mine. In recent years, the operation has expanded to include an underground mine, called Mammoth Underground, where operations began in December 2024. The underground section of the mine is where the roof collapse occurred, and it is believed that the incident happened approximately 1 kilometre from the mine’s entrance. The mine is located about 200 kilometres west of Rockhampton, in central Queensland.
Investigation and Oversight
Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) is responsible for overseeing the response and investigation into the incident. RSHQ has confirmed that its officers are at the scene, working alongside emergency services to search for the missing miner. The organization will also be responsible for investigating the cause of the roof collapse, and determining whether any safety protocols or procedures were breached. The investigation is likely to be thorough, and will aim to identify the root cause of the incident, in order to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Conclusion and Next Steps
The incident at the Curragh coal mine is a serious one, and the search for the missing worker is ongoing. Emergency services, including police and ambulance crews, are working tirelessly to locate the missing miner, and Resources Safety and Health Queensland is overseeing the response and investigation. The incident is a reminder of the risks and dangers associated with mining, and the importance of ensuring that safety protocols and procedures are in place to protect workers. As the investigation into the incident continues, it is likely that more information will become available, and the cause of the roof collapse will be determined. For now, the focus remains on locating the missing worker, and providing support to the families and colleagues of those affected by the incident.
