Trapped Bootu Creek Mine worker identfied

The Darwin man buried alive after a wall collapsed at a Territory mine site on Saturday has been identified

Craig Butler was trapped after a mine wall collapse. The mine owner has said the accident was fatal. Picture: Facebook

The 59-year-old man buried alive after a wall collapsed at a Territory mine site on Saturday has been identified as Craig Butler.

Mr Butler was engulfed under soil and rock at the Bootu Creek Mine, about 110km north of Tennant Creek, following the horrific industrial accident.

In a statement, the board of OM Holdings said it was “deeply saddened” about what they called a fatal accident after a wall collapsed at mine site.

It said their employee was killed due to the failure in Tourag pit.

“All operations at the mine were halted, subsequently certain operations have restarted,” they said.

“All employees are offered access to counselling services.”

OM Holdings would make no further comment on the incident.

NT Police, WorkSafe NT and specialists are at the scene, assessing the site.

Aerial shot of Bootu Creek Mine camp, pictured in 2005. Picture: SUPPLIED

The union representing workers is demanding the focus is put back on safety.

Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union NT organiser Kane Lowth said his thoughts were with the family, friends and workmates of the worker.

“There have been an increased number of serious incidents and fatalities across the resource industry of late and we are not learning from it,” he said.

“After a spate of critical incidents in Queensland all mines have done or are doing mandatory resets to put the focus back on safety.

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“At the very least the CFMEU demands from the Territory’s Resource Minister the same response for workers here.

“Minister Kirby has to get on the front foot after this tragedy and put this sector on notice that safety comes before production and allocate all the appropriate resources and responses immediately”.

“While this investigation was ongoing, it is a fact that people are three times more likely not to return home from work in the NT then any other state or territory in the country and that calls for major change in how we do business here

“We should never be silent on safety and sadly for some companies safety becomes a poor second to their operations.”

Tennant Creek mayor Steve Edgington said everyone had the right to a safe workplace.

Barkly regional Mayor Steve Edgington said his thoughts were with the man’s family.

“It’s such a tragic incident and everybody feels for the family involved and everybody is concerned a worker has been buried in rumble at the site,” he said.

“Everybody has a right to go to work and go home safely and we are very concerned about that.

“There was the workplace incident this year where a man tragically passed away.

“This incident on top of the other one … any workplace death and injury is a concern to our council and we hope the support is being provided to the family involved.”

On Sunday, NT Police Superintendent Christopher Board said investigators were still looking into how the incident happened.

“Sadly, due to the nature of the collapse the likelihood of survival is low,” he said.

“The instability of the site remains very real which has delayed any excavation at this time.”

Resources Minister Paul Kirby instructed operators to cease work. Picture: Justin Kennedy

In an official statement on Sunday, NT Police said there was a “substantial wall failure” on the Western Limb of the mine about 2.40pm Saturday.

Resources Minister Paul Kirby instructed operators to cease work — more than 26 hours after it happened.

“The incident at Bootu Creek Mine is an absolute tragedy and my thoughts go to all the workers at the site and the families involved,” he said.

“Territorians have the right to go to work and return safely to their families.

“The incident is currently under police investigation and NT Worksafe have been notified and are soon to be at the site.”