Young coal mine worker killed in vehicle incident in central Queensland

An investigation has been launched after a young man died after being critically injured at one of Australia’s largest coal mines.

Australia’s mining community has been left devastated after a young worker died in a tragic vehicle incident at a coal mine in Central Queensland.

Emergency services were called to BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s Saraji South coal mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin on Monday afternoon following reports a man had been pinned between a fuel truck and a mining ute.

The 27-year-old man suffered critical crush injuries after the ute rolled backwards instead of forwards.

He later died at Dysart hospital after being transported from the site by paramedics.

Paramedics were called to the Saraji mine at about 1:30 pm.

Mining and Energy Union district president Mitch Hughes said the entire mining community was “shocked and saddened” by the incident.

“This is the worst news we can ever receive,” he said.

“We are devastated that a coal miner is not returning home at the end of their shift. Our hearts go out to friends and family.”

Resources Safety and Health Queensland said the incident occurred in the fuel bay area of the mine at about 12 pm.

Operations were at the site were suspended following the man’s death.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the state’s mining watchdog confirmed it had launched a full-scale investigation into the event.

Resources Safety and Health Queensland CEO Rob Djukic said multiple inspectors were “working closely” with BMA to find out what had exactly occurred.

“As soon as we were notified of the incident, we launched an investigation sending multiple investigators and inspectors from our Serious Incident Investigation Unit and Coal Inspectorate to the site,” Mr Djukic said.

The incident occurred at BMA’s open pit coal mine near Dysart in Queensland’s Bowen Basin. Picture: Lee Constable/Daily Mercury

“We’d like to offer our sincere condolences to the family of the victim, his friends and his co-workers.”

The man’s death marks the second fatal incident at the Saraji South coal mine over the past five years.

Queensland father Allan Houston was killed in 2018 after he drowned in a pool of mud after the bulldozer he was operating rolled down an embankment in the mine.

The 49-year-old’s death triggered court action against BME over alleged breaches of workplace health and safety obligations.