Man dies, another caught by legs after truck crashes into vehicle at mine

A man has died and another left seriously injured after a truck crashed into another vehicle at a coal mine in Central Queensland. Emergency services were called to the BHP and Mitsubishi-owned Peak Downs coking coal mine after 5am on Friday. The injured man’s legs were entangled in the crash, and he was taken to Moranbah Hospital in a stable condition.

At the same time, another worker suffered a serious medical episode, and was flown to the hospital, an ambulance spokesperson said. On Friday morning, Resources Safety and Health Queensland staff were on their way to the mine, which is about 30 kilometres south-east of Moranbah, in the Bowen Basin. RSHQ chief Claire Cooper said investigators would work with police and paramedics already on the scene.

Natural Resources Minister Dale Last said he was aware of the incident, and his thoughts were with the men’s family and friends. “Everyone deserves to go to work and come home safely,” he said. The open pit mine is owned through a 50:50 venture between BHP and Mitsubishi, called the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), and produces about 30 million tonnes of coal annually.

BMA has been contacted for comment. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.

You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. More: