Miners raise almost $100,000 for men injured in Moranbah mine blast

A team of coal miners who were due to replace their workmates before they were critically injured in one of Queensland’s worst mining incidents have revealed their horror at receiving the news.

A TEAM of coal miners who were due to replace their workmates before they were critically injured in one of Queensland’s worst mining incidents have revealed their horror at receiving the news.

The five injured men, who were severely burned in an explosion at a Central Queensland mine on Wednesday, were part of the 'A Crew' which was expected to hand over to the 'B Crew' on the day the disaster occurred.

A suspected gas leak has been cited as the potential cause of the underground blast at Anglo America’s Grosvenor Mine in Moranbah.

The injured workers arrive in Brisbane aboard an aeromedical flight. (AAP Image/Josh Woning)

Two of the injured men are from the Sunshine Coast and two live in Brisbane.

One man is from Moranbah.

In the wake of the tragedy, B Crew has raised almost $100,000 in 24 hours for their injured comrades.

"We were supposed to take over from these guys last night," one B crew member said.

"A GoFundMe page (has been) set up for the A Crew lads and their families affected by the explosion at Grosvenor Coal Mine.

"Thoughts and prayers with each of you."

The page details how shocked colleagues were to learn of the explosion in a town of less than 9000 people.

The incident is one of Queensland's worst mining incidents in recent history.

"This fundraiser has been started by the B Crew Longwall Team, we work with these boys every tour," the fundraiser’s organiser said.

"This accident has shocked us all, and this is the least we can do to assist their families.

"These boys have a long road ahead, let's be right beside them."

Miners working at Grosvenor said they were not permitted to talk to the media when approached by The Courier-Mail.

Underground miners, who endure punishing and perilous conditions to scrape minerals from the earth’s core, often form incredibly tight bonds on the job.

“If you're a miner you’re family, if you’re in need of help we’re always here to help each other out,” a miner, who didn’t work at Grosvenor but had donated, told The Courier-Mail.

Four of the men remain in a critical condition fighting for life on ventilators with burns covering their torso and swelling their airways at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. They are a 43-year-old, a 45-year-old and two 51-year olds.

The condition of the fifth man, aged 44, has improved from stable to “good”.

An industry journal has reported one of the miners could remain in a coma for two weeks and spend up to four months in hospital undergoing multiple surgeries if they survive, according to family members.

The Australasian Mine Safety Journal said the men’s families were “distraught and struggling to comprehend how the incident unfolded”.

Investigations into the explosion are expected to take months with government and union inspectors yet to head underground due to safety concerns.

Anglo American said it was carrying out work to allow for safe re-entry into the mine.

Power was cut to the underground mine after the incident and will need to be reconnected to pump excess water from the site.

Company CEO Tyler Mitchelson said mining would be suspended pending the investigation.

“We will not resume mining until we are satisfied that we know exactly what happened and how we can avoid it happening again,” he said.

To donate visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/grosvenor-lw-boys