Explosive fire and black smoke seen at Grosvenor mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin before emergency evacuation of workers
Workers were forced to evacuate after a massive explosion billowed thick black smoke from an underground coal mine.
The explosion was reported on Saturday morning at the Grosvenor mine in the Bowen Basin area of east-central Queensland, near the town of Moranbah.
An anonymous source told the Courier mail that the explosion occurred at the tailgate end of the ‘longwall’ where coal is being dug and that black smoke came from the fans.
Mine operator Anglo American insisted the evacuation had been “orderly” and there had been no reports of injuries.
“While the scope of the incident is still evolving, the safety of all personnel is confirmed,” the report said.
“Active implementation measures are in place, including the use of nitrogen and monitoring through our comprehensive real-time system.”
Sources told the publication the Fires were still raging and carbon monoxide levels near the mine were measured at levels exceeding 600 parts per million.
The mine has a turbulent recent history.
The Grosvenor mine in the Bowen Basin area of central east Queensland had to be evacuated after a fire and explosion
Five workers suffered serious burns in a gas explosion in May 2020 at the Grosvenor mine.
Investigation into the incident revealed that the explosion was caused by production exceeding the project’s gas discharge capacity.
After Saturday’s incident, Anglo American said its “sole focus” is people’s safety.
“To ensure the safety of our people, we have invested significantly in remote control, gas and real-time monitoring technologies at our underground operations, enabling us to detect gas early and implement action plans in a timely manner,” the spokesperson said.
The company said Saturday’s evacuation was carried out in accordance with the company’s action plan.
“A special team has been set up to respond to the incident,” the spokesperson said.
The mine operator also said Resources Safety and Health Queensland was immediately notified of the incident and its inspectors attended the scene.
There were reports of an explosion in the mine and black smoke coming from fans
“Resources Safety and Health Queensland was notified early this morning of a methane ignition at the Grosvenor Coal Mine,” a spokesperson said.
“We understand that all workers have been removed from the underground area and found safe. No injuries have been reported.”
Representatives of the Mining and Energy Union will also conduct their own investigation into the incident.
“We are extremely relieved that workers are safe and that there have been no injuries or fatalities,” said Queensland Chapter President Mitch Hughes.
“Of course it is very worrying that this event has occurred.”