One worker has died and another has been airlifted for treatment after an incident at Glencore’s Oaky Creek coal mine, near Tieri in the Central Highlands.

The Mining and Energy Union said the Oaky North site had been shut down after the fatality.

They would be on site tomorrow morning as part of the team assessing the circumstances surrounding the accident, the union said.

Resources Health and Safety Queensland has commenced investigations into the incident.

Queensland Ambulance Service confirmed they had received a call for two patients involved in ‘a machinery incident’ at 4.34pm.

One man with life-threatening head injuries was assessed on scene but was sadly declared deceased, a QAS spokesperson said.

“A male patient in his 20s with life-threatening head, arm and leg injuries was airlifted by rescue helicopter to Rockhampton Hospital.” 

The Queensland Police Service said the worker who died at the scene was a 51-year-old man from the Yeppoon area.

At this stage it is believed the workers were attached to a local company loading a belt structure on the surface.

The belts are brought up from underground mines and rotated for refurbishment at regular intervals.

It is the latest tragedy in what Resources Minister Scott Stewart described as a ‘rough and heartbreaking year’ in the mining industry at this year’s Queensland Miners Memorial Day service.

August saw two coalfields deaths, with Chris Schloss, a 48-year-old father of five, fatally injured when a pick and carry crane rolled at the QCoal Byerwen mine’s campsite.

This was followed three weeks later by the death of 56-year-old John Linwood in a vehicle collision at Byerwen mine.

Those deaths followed a fatal accident at BMA’s Saraji mine in January, when 27-year-old Luke O’Brien significant crush injuries.

Mining apparel design business Dirty Hole Designs is a partner of the Miners Promise Charity, which provides crisis care in the event of resource sector tragedies.

Founder Steve Poznik described news of the latest death on the Queensland coalfields as seriously heartbreaking.

“My deepest sympathies to the families involved, colleagues and the emergency response team on site today.”

The Queensland Police Service is preparing a report for the coroner on the Oaky Creek death.

“Forensic Crash Unit is assisting Workplace Health and Safety Queensland with their investigations,” a QPS spokesman said.

You may also like: