By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
A tragic incident occurred at the Byerwen Mine in central Queensland, where a mine worker was killed after a 200 tonne truck allegedly ran over a light vehicle on Thursday afternoon, according to the Queensland Mining and Energy Union (QMEU). This marks the second fatality at the mine within a month.
Mitch Hughes, the QMEU district president, called for the immediate cessation of operations at the mine, stating that it was "the only reasonable course of action" following the latest fatality.
The incident, which took place around 1 p.m., involved a 793 truck reportedly running over a light vehicle. The mine is owned through a joint venture between QCoal and JFE Steel Corporation. The Guardian understands that operations at the site will be suspended until further notice. The identity of the victim has not yet been disclosed.
This fatality follows the death of worker Chris Schloss on August 3, who was killed in an accident involving a pick and carry crane at the same mine. Hughes remarked that workers experienced a "horrible sense of déjà vu" upon hearing the news of the latest tragedy. He added that MEU members were left devastated and unable to comprehend the loss of another colleague.
Queensland's Minister for Resources, Scott Stewart, has pledged a thorough investigation into the incident, announcing this commitment in parliament on Thursday afternoon. Robert Djukic, the chief executive of Resources Safety and Health Queensland, confirmed that the agency would be conducting an investigation, with a coal inspector and serious incident investigation unit investigator already en route to the site.
In a statement, Macmahon, a contractor for the mine, revealed that the site’s emergency response team had been activated, and counseling services have been made available to those affected by the incident.
