Worker dies after crane incident at Byerwen Mine in Central Queensland

A man has died following an incident involving a crane which “rolled onto its side” at a mine site near in Central Queensland with a “full and thorough” investigation underway.

A man has died following an incident at the Byerwen Coal Mine in Central Queensland

A long-serving and much-loved worker has died following an incident involving a crane at a mine site in Central Queensland, sparking a major investigation.

Emergency services arrived at the scene on Wollombi Rd at 7.30am after reports a man, 48, had been struck by a crane at Byerwen Mine about 7am.

The man was pronounced dead shortly after.

Byerwen Mine is located 45 minutes away from Glenden, west of Mackay.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said the man sustained life-threatening injuries.

The Courier-Mail understands that the incident took place on a campsite at the mine, where infrastructure work was being completed.

Resources Safety and Health Queensland chief executive Rob Djukic confirmed the death of the worker.

Mr Djukic said the RSHQ was this morning notified of an incident that caused the death of a worker at the Byerwen Mine.

Byerwen Mine is located 45 minutes west of Glenden.

“Although it is too early to identify a cause of the incident, initial reports indicate it involved a pick and carry crane, which rolled onto its side,” he said.

“An RSHQ coal inspector and an investigator from our Serious Incident Investigation Unit are attending the scene.

“Our thoughts are with the worker’s family, friends and colleagues today.

“We are committing to a thorough investigation but as that is now underway, we will be limited in what we can say going forward.”

A QCoal spokesman said the man was a “long-serving, senior and well-loved” member of the mining fraternity and that the death had shocked the entire organisation.

“We are focused on the support of the family and the affected staff who are obviously devastated by this tragedy,” a QCoal statement read.

“Police are investigating the incident and QCoal will not be commenting further.”

A Queensland Police Service spokesperson confirmed a report would be prepared for the coroner.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart said there would be a “full and thorough investigation” into the worker’s death.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart confirmed an investigation was underway. Picture: Josh Woning

“It is too early to know how this has happened but there will be a full investigation by the independent health and safety regulator Resources Safety and Health Queensland,” he said.

“Resources Safety and Health Queensland are heading to the site now to begin its investigation,” he said.

“No death should happen at any workplace and my thoughts are with the man’s family, friends and colleagues today.

“There will be a full and thorough investigation into how this happened.”

Mining and Energy Union representatives are en route to the site.

“The MEU has received the terrible news of a worker fatality at the Byerwen mine this morning,” a MEU spokeswoman said.

“Our Industry Health and Safety Representatives are on their way to the site to conduct investigations.

“Our thoughts are with family and workmates as we work to understand what has occurred.”

The site of the incident was the centre of a long-running legal drama after Isaac Regional council rejected a QCoal bid to expand the Byerwen Camp in Suttor.

Judge William Everson of the Planning and Environment Court sided in November 2021 with the council’s claims that workers could be housed in nearby Glenden.

Glenden is a mining town aligned with Swiss-based Glencore, built with the expectation it would be demolished after the Newlands mine wound down, but a campaign to save Glenden shifted the responsibility to QCoal, the owners of Byerwen coal mine.

The approval of the mine in 2014 was secured on the basis that QCoal would provide temporary and permanent housing for the mine workforce in Glenden, however the majority of workers stay at the Suttor camp.