Driver injured in truck roll at Coppabella mine

A truck driver is in hospital after fresh images can now be shown of a heavy vehicle that rolled at a Queensland mine, the latest of a raft of serious incidents across the sector this year.

Coppabella mine.

A truck driver has spent two weeks in hospital after the heavy vehicle he was in rolled over the bund wall at a Bowen Basin open cut operation, the latest of a raft of serious incidents plaguing Central Queensland mines in 2024.

The incident occurred on December 5 at Peabody’s Coppabella mine, west of Mackay between Nebo and Moranbah, and it is understood recovery of the heavy vehicle is still ongoing.

The truck crash prompted a brief Resources Safety and Health Queensland investigation, first issuing Peabody with a directive to secure the site before sending an inspector to the scene.

“The scene was isolated while the inspector conducted an initial investigation, and a directive was issued for the safe recovery of the truck,” an RSHQ spokesman said.

“The scene was released after the inspector was satisfied appropriate measures were in place to ensure safety.

A man was injured when the heavy vehicle he was in rolled at Coppabella mine on December 5. Picture: Contributed

“Resources Safety and Health Queensland’s vision is zero serious harm in the resources sector and we’ll continue to work towards that goal.”

This publication has contacted Peabody for comment.

The driver was first taken to Moranbah Hospital before being moved to Mackay Base Hospital where he has remained in a stable condition while undergoing further tests before being released.

This incident can be revealed days after global company Peabody this week celebrated waved off its first shipment of coal from its Centurion mine - formally North Goonyella - where work was temporarily halted for more than five years after a spontaneous underground blaze.

Four men have died in serious incidents at Bowen Basin mines in 2024.

This latest incident also comes after mine safety watchdog RSHQ put all Queensland sites on notice after uncovering a concerning pattern amid fatal and serious incidents.

There have been four mine fatalities at Bowen Basin mines in 2024 and a string of serious incidents.

The most recent involved the death of Frank Thomas, 51, at Glencore’s Oaky Creek Coal mine on October 2. He had been one of two men carrying out maintenance works involving a conveyor belt when a cable snapped and struck them about 4.34pm.

Mr Thomas tragically died at the scene, while his co-worker was flown to hospital with serious injuries.

On September 17 18-year-old Moorvale tyre fitter Ethan Avenell suffered a serious broken ankle, breaks to his arm and a gash on the back of his head after the bead seat band of a mine truck rim, weighing about 200kg, landed on him at Moorvale mine.

Barely six weeks before Mr Thomas’s death, Bundaberg grandfather John Linwood died on August 22 when the light vehicle he was driving and a large haul truck collided at Byerwen open cut mine about 1pm.

Just three weeks earlier, also at Byerwen mine, long-term worker and father of five Chris Schloss lost his life on August 3, suffering fatal injuries after he was struck by the boom of a pick and carry crane when it rolled over.

And in January this year a worker died after suffering crush injuries at a BMA site. Mackay man and racing enthusiast Luke O’Brien, 27, was fatally injured after being pinned between two vehicles in the fuel-bay area at Saraji mine at Dysart on January 15.