Qld mine collapse: Bodies of Dylan Langridge, Trevor Davis removed from Dugald River underground mine
The only surviving miner in Cloncurry’s tragic underground mine collapse was able to radio for help and get rescued, it can be revealed, as new details come to light about the tricky recovery mission for the two victims.
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The only surviving miner in Cloncurry’s tragic underground mine collapse was able to radio for help and get rescued it can revealed, as early investigations show the incident may have been caused by work happening metres below.
Barminco employees Dylan Langridge, 33, from Bundaberg, and Trevor Davis, 36, from Pimpama on the Gold Coast, died after their vehicle fell down the void within a previously backfilled stope at a mine near Cloncurry in northwest Queensland.
The bodies of two Queensland miners, who died after their ute fell about 15m down a void at the MMG Dugald River underground mine about 8.50am on Wednesday, were brought back to the surface on Friday.
Early investigations by Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) show the cavernous hole or “stope void” was caused due to “bogging operations” on the level below where the men were working.
In underground hard-rock mining horizontal tunnels are excavated to access the ore. The incident at Dugald River mine occurred 125m underground, with the next level further down at 150m.
A “stope” is created when rubble falls into the vertical hole created by a safe and controlled explosion prepared with the help of a drilling rig.
Removing material from the stope is called “bogging”.
It is “unknown at this stage” why bogging operations were being carried out according to the RSHQ.
It’s understood the drill rig the survivor was operating fell about 15m down the stope when the earth collapsed beneath him, and the operator radioed mine managers about what happened.
Crews were able to rescue the operator out of the machinery with harnesses, but his colleagues in a ute fell about 10m further down the stope where rocks and rubble fell from above.
Police on Friday confirmed they had managed to retrieve the vehicle, assisting specialist staff from Mines Inspectorate and RSHQ, who worked throughout Wednesday and Thursday to retrieve a vehicle.
The men were located deceased shortly before 5pm on Thursday.
Police were called to attend the property around 1pm on Wednesday, February 15, following reports that a mine had collapsed.
Asked why emergency services were not contacted for four hours, Perenti, parent company of Barminco which employed the underground workers said “the site emergency response team was activated immediately after the incident occurred”.
“This on-site team includes paramedics and people with specific training in underground mine search and rescue operations,” the statement read.
“All information about the circumstances of the incident and the emergency response will be considered as part of the investigations.”
It is understood the ute was lodged in the stope between two levels: the 125m and 150m accesses.
Rescue crews worked up from the 150m point, pulling rocks out until they made contact with the vehicle.
It’s understood the vehicle was “mangled” and the bodies of both men were still inside.
The car, which was able to be removed from the stope, was then loaded onto a truck and driven to the surface.
The vehicle has been taken to a secure holding yard in Mount Isa, where police will begin their investigations.
The bodies of both men have also been taken away from the mine.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
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Originally published as Qld mine collapse: Bodies of Dylan Langridge, Trevor Davis removed from Dugald River underground mine
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