One worker remains unaccounted after the collapse of the roof of a coal mine in the central region of the Australian state of Queensland near the town of Blackwater.
The emergency services were rushed to Curragh Coal Mine sometime around 3pm on Friday, following an incident report.
According to Queensland Police, a man had been hospitalized with non life threatening injuries, while a worker had not yet been accounted for.
The police said they would provide support to the investigation agencies.
Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Mines has said that he has received updates that expert teams were working on reaching the missing employee.
“Emergency services, including the Queensland Mines and Rescue Service, are on site and doing everything they can,”said Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Mines Tony Perrett.
Perrett stated that two employees had been extracted safely, with rescue attempts underway for the third employee. My thoughts are with all those affected, families, and the wider mining community.
Resources Safety and Health Queensland confirmed it had been notified of an incident involving a roof collapse at the mine.
The regulator said it was responding alongside emergency services and mines rescue, with the immediate focus on supporting efforts to recover a worker involved in the incident.
Curragh Coal Mine is located in the Bowen Basin near the town of Blackwater, about 800km northwest of Brisbane, in a region that underpins Queensland coal industry and export supply chains.
The incident comes as the sector remains under close scrutiny from regulators and government over worker safety, particularly in underground operations where ground conditions can shift rapidly.
The mine parent company, Coronado Global Resources, said it was aware of the incident but would not comment on it.
At present, there has been no official disclosure of the identities of the personnel involved. In addition, there has been no official confirmation on the cause of the incident.
Together with information on the duration that the rescue operation will last.
During the rescue process, the investigators are anticipated to investigate the events that led to the occurrence and the systems that were involved within the workplace.
