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19 July 2024
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Like a scene from Game of Thrones: how the Grosvenor coal mine fire unfolded, Australia
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Anglo American suspended production at its Grosvenor coking coal mine in Queensland, Australia, following a methane ignition on 29 June 2024. Local media reports showed smoke billowing from the shaft of the longwall mine and the fire continues to burn. It's about 05h40am on a Saturday when a flash of flame disappears up a mine tunnel like the fiery blast from a dragon's breath. Some miners describe it like a scene from Game of Thrones, some see a bright orange glow or just a flash. Others don't see it at all. In an instant the workers know there's a high chance of an explosion and they need to get out.
Some know this fear well; they were there in 2020 when the Grosvenor Coal Mine in central Queensland exploded, seriously injuring five workers.
While the investigation into last month's incident at the mine is ongoing, the Mining and Energy Union has spoken to some miners about their escape. Union general vice president Steven Smyth said the crew was nearing the end of their shift. It had been a challenging night with a cavity in the mine ceiling causing loose coal and dust.
"The flame went away from them, which would have been quite traumatic and frightening to see," Smyth said. "But the saving grace is, if there is any in this whole situation, it's that the flame went down the return and not across the coalface where the workers were. There's still a bit of conjecture about what happened but what we do know is they were working on the longwall face and had stopped operating at a point in time."
Smyth said workers were in near darkness as they evacuated, guided only by the light of their cap lamps as they ran to board drift runners (heavy-duty people movers) that were already waiting to take them to the surface at shift's end.
He said the area was normally well lit but power had been cut to stop mining equipment that could be an ignition source if there were raised methane gas levels. "There would have been an instantaneous blanket of darkness and then to hear the noises … you've got pressure change and your ears are popping, the ventilation is going everywhere. The miners are very experienced and well trained, so they immediately made their way up the longwall face to evacuate. They know how to do their job and in an event like this they've got to self-escape. The mindset is get in that drift runner and get out because there's a good chance no-one's coming to get you. It's just too dangerous with thick smoke and gas explosions."
Uncertain times ahead
Remote-control dozers, expanding foam and inert gas have been used to successfully temporarily seal the mine. The mine's 1 400 workers, who will continue to be paid until the end of August, face an uncertain future. Anglo American said it was working with other mine operators to redeploy staff.
In a statement the company said it continued to monitor the site and it might take some months before workers could re-enter the mine.
Smyth said re-entry and recovery of the mine would be complex given the toxic environment and damage to conveyor belts and other equipment from the fire.
Throughout the industry it is recognised that re-entering a coal mine after a fire can be dangerous. At the Blakefield South Mine explosion in New South Wales in 2011 the mine was sealed for three months after a fire. Just 12 hours after fresh air was reintroduced into the mine and started circulation, there was reignition of gas and further explosions.
The mine site is in the coal mining town of Moranbah, located approximately 1 000 km (621 miles) north of state capital Brisbane. It is the same mine where an explosion in May 2020 critically injured five workers.
Sources: ABC News Australia, Coal Age, Reuters
Some know this fear well; they were there in 2020 when the Grosvenor Coal Mine in central Queensland exploded, seriously injuring five workers.
While the investigation into last month's incident at the mine is ongoing, the Mining and Energy Union has spoken to some miners about their escape. Union general vice president Steven Smyth said the crew was nearing the end of their shift. It had been a challenging night with a cavity in the mine ceiling causing loose coal and dust.
"The flame went away from them, which would have been quite traumatic and frightening to see," Smyth said. "But the saving grace is, if there is any in this whole situation, it's that the flame went down the return and not across the coalface where the workers were. There's still a bit of conjecture about what happened but what we do know is they were working on the longwall face and had stopped operating at a point in time."
Smyth said workers were in near darkness as they evacuated, guided only by the light of their cap lamps as they ran to board drift runners (heavy-duty people movers) that were already waiting to take them to the surface at shift's end.
He said the area was normally well lit but power had been cut to stop mining equipment that could be an ignition source if there were raised methane gas levels. "There would have been an instantaneous blanket of darkness and then to hear the noises … you've got pressure change and your ears are popping, the ventilation is going everywhere. The miners are very experienced and well trained, so they immediately made their way up the longwall face to evacuate. They know how to do their job and in an event like this they've got to self-escape. The mindset is get in that drift runner and get out because there's a good chance no-one's coming to get you. It's just too dangerous with thick smoke and gas explosions."
Uncertain times ahead
Remote-control dozers, expanding foam and inert gas have been used to successfully temporarily seal the mine. The mine's 1 400 workers, who will continue to be paid until the end of August, face an uncertain future. Anglo American said it was working with other mine operators to redeploy staff.
In a statement the company said it continued to monitor the site and it might take some months before workers could re-enter the mine.
Smyth said re-entry and recovery of the mine would be complex given the toxic environment and damage to conveyor belts and other equipment from the fire.
Throughout the industry it is recognised that re-entering a coal mine after a fire can be dangerous. At the Blakefield South Mine explosion in New South Wales in 2011 the mine was sealed for three months after a fire. Just 12 hours after fresh air was reintroduced into the mine and started circulation, there was reignition of gas and further explosions.
The mine site is in the coal mining town of Moranbah, located approximately 1 000 km (621 miles) north of state capital Brisbane. It is the same mine where an explosion in May 2020 critically injured five workers.
Sources: ABC News Australia, Coal Age, Reuters
