Grosvenor coal mine re-entered for first time since gas blast injured five men

An expert has detailed what actually happened in the Moranbah mine blast that seriously injured five workers, as investigators enter the mine for the first time.

WORKERS critically injured at a Central Queensland coal mine would have been hundreds of metres underground when it exploded, a person familiar with the site has told The Courier-Mail.

New details of what happened when escaped methane gas ignited and severely burned five men come as investigators were able re-enter the mine for the first time since the blast.

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A source with extensive knowledge of Moranbah’s Grosvenor coalmine said the injured Queenslanders would have been about 380 metres below the surface when it erupted.

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It would also been fellow A Crew workers who brought the hurt miners to the surface, the person said.

“It's a hazardous occupation but Australia is the world leader in mine safety performance by a long way,” they said.

Four of the men – aged 43, 45, and two 51-year olds – remain in a critical condition at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. A fifth man, aged 44, is in a stable condition.

The mine’s operator Anglo America announced yesterday that the first re-entry into the mine since Wednesday's incident had taken place.

Chief executive of the company’s metallurgical coal business, Tyler Mitchelson, said re-entry would enable investigations to commence.

“Earlier today, a staged re-entry to the Grosvenor mine commenced, after our risk assessment received approval from the Mines Inspectorate,” he said.

“The staged re-entry ensures that all safety controls are in place including reconnecting the gas monitoring equipment, restoring power to the underground and pumping excess water from the mine.”

Mining at the site has been suspended since the explosion and the company said it was determined to establish what happened “drawing on the best possible expert advice”.

“It would not be right for us or anyone else to comment on the circumstances leading up to this incident, as this will all form part of the thorough expert investigation.

“It is therefore very premature for anyone to speculate on the causes of this particular incident,” Mr Mitchelson said.

A fundraiser started on Thursday by the injured men’s colleagues has now raised almost $150,000.

The Queensland Mine Inspectorate has now brought on a forensic investigator as part of the ongoing investigation into the disaster.

The inspectorate has secured the underground incident scene at Grosvenor Coal Mine.

Inspectors remain on site and are examining the cause of the blast which left four men in a critical condition.

“Safety of workers is paramount and longwall operations remain suspended and will not commence until it is safe to do so,” a Inspectorate spokesman said.