Man killed in Ballarat mine collapse identified

The worker who died after a collapse at the Ballarat Gold Mine has been identified.

Kurt Hourigan, 37, from Bruthen in Victoria's Gippsland region was killed during a rockfall just before 5pm on March 13.

He and another worker were undertaking a manual form of mining called "air legging" under unsupported ground when it collapsed, according to their union.

UPDATE:

The Ballarat Gold Mine's owner Victory Minerals has released a new statement:

"This tragic incident is now being independently investigated by WorkSafe Victoria.

"Given this, it's not appropriate for us to comment further right now, other than to confirm we are cooperating fully with this investigation, and undertaking our own.

"The safety of our people on site is our first priority. No safety professionals working underground in the mine were made redundant in the recent restructure.

"In fact, we increased safety professional resources within the underground. The roles and responsibilities of the redundant corporate managerial role were transferred to the Health, Safety, Environment and Community Manager, who reports directly to the CEO."

Also on Thursday afternoon, WorkSafe spoke about its investigation into the rockfall.

Executive director for health and safety Dr Narelle Beer said the investigation would be in-depth.

She said WorkSafe couldn't comment much on the investigation, just that WorkSafe officers had been on site since Wednesday night.

Dr Beer said the investigate would be "complex, detailed" and "would take some time".

"We're very keen to understand how we can ensure a tragedy like this can never happen again," she said.

Dr Beer said she was unable to give more details due to the investigation.

"We will do a thorough investigation, and clearly be looking at what caused the incident, what lead to or contributed to the incident," she said.

"If as a result of that there is a prosecution to follow, that matter will be prosecuted accordingly."

Dr Beer said a range of expertise was needed to cover the complex investigation.

"We will work on this as long as we need to, to ensure we understand what's occurred," she said.

It is not known when WorkSafe last visited the gold mine, it will be a part of the investigation.

WorkSafe earth resources and silica manager Ben Wright said hand mining was being done at the location, which uses drills with air and water.

Mr Wright said he could not comment on the specific incident.

"Air legging or hand mining is a way to mine for a resource with hand tools, very large drill units pneumatically operated, they use water and air to drill into rock as opposed to a large mechanised device, known as a jumbo, the hand held devices are more portable and typically used in smaller areas," he said.

Mr Wright said air legging was less common than mechanised mining.

He said like any technical task it requires "training and experience to do it effectively and efficiently."

Mr Wright said the ground should always be supported when using these techniques.

When asked if safety had improved since the new owners took over the mine in December 2023, Mr Wright said he could not comment on the specifics of the site.

The investigation will include looking at the people who were on site, procedures and witness accounts.

UPDATE:

The Alfred Hospital has confirmed the 21-year-old Ballarat man with lower body injuries remains in a critical condition.

WorkSafe Victoria spokesperson confirmed they are investigating the incident and a family liaison worker was on site for the impacted workers and family members.

UPDATE:

Victoria Police Acting Inspector Lisa MacDougall was unable to report on the extent of injuries of the 21-year-old miner who survived the mine incident which occurred at Ballarat Gold Mine in Mount Clear on Wednesday evening.

Inspector MacDougall said the second trapped miner's body was recovered at about 5.20am this morning.

Rescue teams located the man deceased having worked through the night.

An investigation will be conducted on behalf of the Coroner and Victoria Police will be working alongside WorkSafe.

Inspector MacDougall said mine rescue "worked tirelessly through the night".

She said while the union understood the man had passed, Inspector McDougall said police had to wait for Ambulance Victoria to assess to make the announcement.

The scene needed to be safe before the assessment could be made, according to police.

The rescue was complex, with the first miner being rescued and airlifted to Alfred Hospital with life-threatening lower body injuries at 7.15pm Wednesday night.

The investigation is ongoing but the mine has been shut at this stage.

UPDATE:

Two workers who were trapped in a mine collapse in Ballarat were conducting "air legging" mining under unsupported ground when the incident occurred.

The collapse happened at the site in Mount Clear about 4.50pm on Wednesday, March 14, with a 37 year-old Bruthen man killed and a 21-year-old Ballarat man treated for lower body injuries. He was flown to hospital in a serious condition.

Australian Workers Union Victorian state secretary Ronnie Hayden told reporters on Thursday the pair started at 7am and had about two hours left when the part of the mine they were in collapsed.

"The two workers that were air legging, a manual style of mining," Mr Hayden said.

"It's our understanding that they were working under unsupported ground and that ground gave away."

Mr Hayden said the tragedy is "absolutely devastating" and should have been avoided.

"They should not have been doing that task in that mine," he said.

"This form of air legging shouldn't be used to do this type of work ... this form of air legging should be used - if it's ever used at all - to investigate the ground.

"It's a pretty much two guys with a big drill. They have air and water going into it and they're drilling ... (with) a drill bit that's probably about six to 10 inches in diameter and they're drilling into the rock.

"Normally they would use this - say in tunnelling for example, they would use it to put anchors into the rocks to hold the rocks back. They were actually using it to create a tunnel to work in."

He said 29 other miners who took refuge into a safety pod were not at risk.

"The miners that went to the rescue pod weren't rescued. They went there as a safety procedure," Mr Hayden said.

"It was an isolated incident to those two air leggers.

"Rescuers reached the trapped workers pretty much straight away."

Mr Hayden said the union would be pushing for Victoria's industrial manslaughter laws to be used following the tragedy.

"We lost another worker and no worker should be injured or die at work," he said.

"We are going to be pushing very hard to ensure that the industrial manslaughter laws are used.

"Our members are angry, our organisers are angry. We would like to thank the rescue service for the work that they did.

"We want to make sure we are putting the Victorian Government on notice to let them know that, you create these laws, they use these laws."

He also said concerns have also been raised over safety procedures at the mine in the past.

"Our members on this mine over the past few years have raised concerns ... and our organisers have been out on to site to make sure our members weren't working under unsupported ground," Mr Hayden said.

"Our members have raised concerns about this style of mining. It seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

"The air legging has just recently started. For me personally, this is the fault of management.

"When this company took over, they made their senior safety manager redundant and haven't replaced them."

UPDATE 9.50am:

The mine's owner, Victory Minerals, has released a statement:

"At approximately 0600 this morning, we brought our remaining team member, trapped by yesterday's rock fall, to the surface.

"It was with great sadness that we confirm one of our own has passed away.

"Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with his family and all our people right now. Our absolute priority is supporting the wellbeing of our team members and their families and loved ones, as we all come to terms with this tragic news.

"One of our other team members who was transported to hospital last night is getting the best care possible. Our thoughts are with him and family and loved ones at this time.

"Control of the Ballarat Gold Mine is transitioning from Victoria Police to WorkSafe Victoria for an investigation into this tragic accident."

UPDATE: Thursday, 8.22am

Statement from Victoria Police:

"A man has died following a mine collapse at Mount Clear. Emergency services were called to an operational mining site on Woolshed Gully Drive about 4.50pm after reports of a rockfall.

Two people were pinned by fallen rocks while 28 workers were able to take refuge in a safety pod.

The incident occurred approximately 3km underground from the mine entry.

Paramedics worked with mine rescue staff to stabilise one person prior to extrication.

The 21-year-old Ballarat man was treated for lower body injuries and airlifted to hospital in a serious condition.

The 28 miners that took refuge were safely brought to the surface and assessed by Ambulance Victoria.

The body of the second man trapped, a 37-year-old Bruthen man, was recovered this morning.

WorkSafe will investigate the incident while police will prepare a report for the coroner."

The mine's owners, Victory Minerals, said in a statement the situation remains in control of the authorities.

"Right now our priority is the safety and well-being of our mining workers and their families," the statement reads.

"As the new owner, Victory Minerals took operational control of the Ballarat Goldmine on 19 December 2023. We bring significant experience and expertise to the mine. We are a safety first mine operator and respect the work that underground miners perform every day."

UPDATE - Wednesday, 11pm: A worker trapped under rocks three kilometres from the entrance to Ballarat Gold Mine is yet to receive medical care while emergency services scramble to reach them, and another is in hospital fighting "life-threatening injuries" after a mine collapse.

"Work is underway to safely access that patient to assess the condition of that person," Ballarat police Acting Inspector Lisa McDougall told reporters outside the Mount Clear mine late in the evening of March 13.

"We have to have our medical teams go in and make that assessment."

She said 31 workers were affected by the collapse, but 29 of those who took refuge in a safety pod had now been brought to the surface safely. None of the 29 was injured.

Another worker had been flown to a Melbourne hospital with "life-threatening injuries to his lower body", Acting Inspector McDougall said.

The collapse happened about 500 metres underground and three kilometres from the mine entrance, she said.

Acting Inspector McDougall said about 30 members of Victoria's emergency services had been involved in the operation so far.

The families of the workers directly affected by the collapse were "extremely distressed" and were being supported by Victoria Police.

UPDATE 10.42pm: The 25 workers who took refuge in an underground safety pod during a mine collapse at Mount Clear have been brought to the surface safely, police say.

"The 25 remaining miners from the safety pod have been safely brought to the surface and are being assessed by Ambulance Victoria," Victoria Police said in a statement.

UPDATE 9.50pm: One of the two people trapped after a gold mine collapse remains pinned by fallen rocks and emergency crews are still working to free them, police say.

A second person trapped by the rocks was stabilised earlier in the evening before being successfully brought to the surface and flown to The Alfred hospital.

"Two people were pinned by fallen rocks while 25 workers were able to take refuge in a safety pod," Victoria Police said in a statement.

"Emergency crews are still working to free the second person.

"Work is underway to bring the remaining 25 miners to the surface," the statement read.

The accident happened about three kilometres underground.

The Victorian branch of the Australian Workers' Union said its officials were travelling to Ballarat to work with members.

"We are aware of the collapse of a mine in Ballarat this evening," the union said on its Facebook page.

"Our state secretary and two of our union officials are currently on site, working closely with the members and authorities to coordinate rescue efforts.

"We stand united in our commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all workers."

UPDATE 7.50pm: A number of vehicles continue to come and go from the mine, but no news has been released about the condition of the trapped people.

Three paramedics and a firetruck left just before 8pm.

UPDATE 7.35pm: Two more ambulances have just arrived at the scene, and the air ambulance has taken off.

UPDATE 7.10pm: Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has made a statement.

"I'm thinking of every worker and every family who is impacted by this event. Tonight will be a long night for them and for the entire Ballarat community," she said.

UPDATE 6.20pm: Specialist CFA mine rescuers have arrived at the Ballarat Gold Mine, and an air ambulance is on its way.

PREVIOUSLY:

Two people are potentially trapped underground at the Ballarat Gold Mine after a collapse, Victoria Police has confirmed.

Emergency crews were called about 4.50pm on March 13, and several emergency services were seen gathering inside the mine office areas including fire and rescue, and paramedics.

A hazardous material firetruck was also seen.

Further details are not available at this stage.

"Emergency services are responding to reports of a mine collapse in Mount Clear," police said in a statement.

"There are reports that two people were trapped underground at the Indicator Lane site about 4.50pm.

"The situation is developing and further information will be provided when available."

A WorkSafe spokesperson said inspectors and a technical specialist are also responding.

The Ballarat Gold Mine at Mount Clear produced its first gold in 2011, and produces about 40 to 50,000 ounces of gold per year.

The mine stretches for several kilometres underground, including underneath homes in Ballarat's east to the rail line.

It's now owned by Victory Minerals, after several ownership changes in the past few years.

In 2007, 27 miners were trapped almost a kilometre underground for five hours before they were rescued through a ventilation tunnel.

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