Quake cuts power to Goldfields underground mine, triggering five-hour emergency response involving 89 miners

Eighty-nine miners spent five hours underground on Wednesday after an earthquake cut off communications and power at BHP Nickel West’s site north of Leinster, triggering an emergency response. Operations remained shut at the site on Thursday after a magnitude 3.5 quake struck at 3.24pm on Wednesday, forcing the miners into underground refuge chambers. The Kalgoorlie Miner understands BHP’s emergency response team was deployed to examine each level of the mine for damage or rock slides, with employees on each of those levels then progressively removed from the shafts as they were cleared of hazards. While power was out the miners were removed via vehicle, with some also extracted via a cage lift once electricity was restored. A BHP spokesperson confirmed the earthquake had cut power and communications at its Nickel West Leinster operation, with many workers remaining underground. “All team members were safely accounted for by 8.30pm, with no injuries reported. The workers returned to the surface once our specialist teams deemed the area safe,” the spokesperson said. “No damage has been reported. Testing will continue over the coming day before resuming operations. “There is nothing more important than the safety of our people — this is underpinned by our robust processes and systems which were put into effect by the Nickel West team.” Acting WorkSafe chief inspector mines Christina Folley said inspectors were at the site on Thursday investigating the aftermath. “The site’s underground operations remain suspended until further notice, and the mine operator will notify WorkSafe when all safe working systems for the underground mine have been restored,” she said. “WorkSafe is unable to provide further details at this time.” Australian Workers’ Union branch secretary Brad Gandy said the union had struggled to extract information from both BHP and the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety and remained largely in the dark about what had occurred. “Other than the power outages that hit yesterday late afternoon we still don’t know any great detail,” he said on Thursday morning. “BHP needs to give us the full story. What happened? Will this happen again? Is it preventable?” The AWU boss said the tone was set from the top and when the company operating a mine “clams up” it discouraged workers on site from speaking about what had occurred. “Companies should be talking to us, talking to the relevant bodies — not closing ranks and bunkering down,” Mr Gandy said. The Miner understands the site will remained closed until all areas are declared safe for work to recommence.

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Quake cuts power to Goldfields underground mine, triggering five-hour emergency response involving 89 miners