Anglo American Grosvenor Mine evacuates after reported explosion, fire

The future of one of the major Bowen Basin coal mines is now uncertain as a fire threatens to burn for at least a week. An MP is calling for immediate support for workers and contractors across the industry.

Fires rage underground as smoke continues to rise from ventilation shafts.

A Queensland MP has called for immediate financial support for workers left in the lurch after a fire shut down a major mine in the Bowen Basin.

The underground fire at Anglo American’s Grosvenor mine is expected to burn for at least a week as specialist personnel are recalled because of its size, as plans to try and extinguish the blaze are formed fast.

A methane ignition incident occurred on Saturday morning, sparking an investigation from the mine safety watchdog and surrounding Moranbah in thick plumes of smoke.

Burdekin LNP MP Dale Last said being ‘realistic’ meant acknowledging there is very little hope of the mine reopening, and called for Anglo to confirm it will pay all workers, including contractors, in full until a final decision is made.

“I acknowledge that Anglo have offered to pay workers for 7 days,” Mr Last said.

“Make no mistake, the impact of this incident will be a major hit for places like Moranbah and for the state as a whole.”

He said Anglo and the broader resource sector have a responsibility to find work for employees and called for an investigation.

“Workers, their loved ones, and the wider community, deserve the truth and the investigation must be provided with the resources and powers it needs to get that truth,” he said.

Resources Safety and Health Queensland confirmed it was told about the methane ignition on Saturday morning and immediately sent coal inspectors to the site to help secure the scene.

All employees were removed and no one was injured.

RSHQ chief executive officer Rob Djukic said the mine was in the process of being sealed “and as a result exclusion zones remain in place to ensure the safety of those on and near the site”.

Mr Djukic said the priority for everyone involved in this incident was the continued safety of workers.

The future of Grosvenor mine is now uncertain after it was already the scene of one major explosion in the last four years that seriously injured five men.

And it is understood recent staffing changes including the departure of multiple managers and ventilation officers and rumours of the resource giant slashing up to 20 per cent of its workforce on the back of a “complex cost environment” had only added to these fears.

Smoke is visible from Moranbah and Anglo American appreciates that it may cause problems for residents.

Saturday’s explosion happened in the tailgate end of the mine’s longwall which was reopened for production in 2021 - the mine was also in the process of an expansion that included a new ventilation shaft.

It is understood a second explosion occurred overnight Saturday and Queensland Mine Rescue Services and Emergency Response Team personnel were recalled on Sunday because of the size of the fire.

Plans are in place involving the use of a truck-mounted GAG unit to inject nitrogen into the mine to kill the fire.

It is understood ERT from other mines have been called in to help and New South Wales Coal Services may also be called.

An Anglo American spokesperson said that work was still ongoing to manage the combustion event.

“Our priority is to safely extinguish the underground fire, which emergency response teams are managing from the surface,” the spokesperson said.

“We are actively managing and monitoring the smoke released from the mine’s ventilation shafts and appreciate it may be causing concerns for Moranbah residents.“

Resources Minister Scott Stewart called on Anglo American to prioritise their workforce in the wake of the incident.

“This is a serious incident that should not have happened,” Mr Stewart said.

“A full and thorough investigation will now begin.”

Anglo American have begun work to temporarily seal the mine in order to stop the smoke, however smoke is expected to continue pouring from the coal mine for days to come.

Workers were evacuated after there were indications of a methane ignition in the Grosvenor underground coal mine.

All workers were evacuated safely from the mine and a Resources Health and Safety Queensland investigation is under way.

Anglo American has assured the public that environmental health specialists and data from air quality monitoring, including DESI sensors, are helping them assess the situation and understand any potential impacts to public health.

In an email to workers, sighted by this publication, General Manager of Grosvenor mine Shane McDowall advised “only essential services will be required to attend the mine until further notice.”

He said all commuters were not required to travel to the site until further notice and charter flights would be organised for June 30 to transport FIFO workers back to Brisbane.
“All non-essential coal mine workers will be paid as per their normal arrangements for the next seven days,” Mr McDowall said.
A former Grosvenor mine employee, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed a production-centric culture at Grosvenor often deprioritised safety.

Members of the Anglo American senior leadership have joined the response team at Moranbah.

He said workers were still “p***ed off” about the initial explosion feared this latest incident might be the end of the mine, compounding recent job loss worries.

Anglo American knocked back a BHP takeover bid for its business in May but is still set to sell its Queensland coal assets, believed to be valued at roughly $US3bn- $US5bn.
“Since the 2020 explosion they want to appear safe,” the miner said.

‘They preach safety, but what they say on the surface versus what happens underground is totally different.’

The ex-employee recounted witnessing his manager and deputy debating during a job risk assessment underground.

He claimed the manager appeared to downplay the risk of the job and the efficacy of a spotter in decreasing risk consequences, while the deputy disagreed.

“Dig as much coal as you can as fast as you can (was the message),” the miner said.

When work resumed in the long wall area 18 months after the 2020 disaster, Anglo’s then CEO said the company had worked with “leading industry experts and invested significantly in underground automation technology, remote operations, gas management and data analytics, to introduce a number of advancements in the way our underground metallurgical coal mines operate”.

“Our scale in underground mining has allowed us to leverage technologies being developed and piloted at our other operations, to ensure Grosvenor Mine restarted with the benefit of proven advancements in safety and technology,” the CEO said at the time.

Smoke billowed from the Grosvenor mine as workers were evacuated and sent home until further notice.

Mr Stewart said Saturday’s emergency was “obviously concerning”.

“There has been a serious incident at Anglo American’s Grosvenor underground coal mine this morning,” he confirmed

“I’m advised safety inspectors and workers’ representatives are heading to the mine now and there will be a full investigation.

“Queenslanders have a right to come home safely from their work and I expect a full and thorough investigation into this.”

In a statement on Saturday, Anglo American said the evacuation was completed in accordance with the company’s action response plan.

“A dedicated team has been established to respond to the incident,” the spokeswoman said.

“While the extent of the incident is still evolving, the safety of all personnel is confirmed.

“Implementation controls are active and in place, including the use of nitrogen and monitoring by our extensive real-time system.”

“We will continue to engage with our people and key stakeholders and work with RSHQ to understand the next steps with a view to implementing a safe restart and continued safe operation, at the appropriate time,” said an Anglo American spokesperson.

“Our employee assistance program has been made available to provide support and counselling to all employees as required.

“We appreciate the ongoing work of the team at the site, including QMRS and its mobile extinguisher unit (GAG), RSHQ, and union representatives.”