Mining accidents
Details
This is an expired event!
Event title
Australia - Major rescue underway after workers trapped in Curragh Mine collapse
Source
Severity
Mid
Event date (UTC)
2026-01-02 09:30:57
Last update (UTC)
2026-01-02 09:30:58
Area range
Local event
Address/Affected area(s)
Curragh Mine, Queensland
A major rescue is underway after a coal mine collapse in Central Queensland, with at least one man reportedly unaccounted for.
It’s understood the collapse occurred at the Curragh Mine at Blackwater just before 3pm on Friday afternoon.The ABC reported one man is unaccounted for, while a second has been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.The incident happened about 1km underground, Nine News reported.A Queensland Fire Department spokeswoman said they were responding to reports of a person in a confined space needing rescue on Blackwater Cooroorah Rd, the Courier-Mail reported.The call came in just after 3pm local time.Paramedics were standing by at the scene, a Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said.The mine is located approximately 14km north of Blackwater in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland – one of the world’s largest coal basins and Australia’s largest source of metallurgical coal.The mine is operated by Coronado.The company’s website says Curragh has been operating since 1983 and was acquired by Coronado in 2018.Two open cut mines – Curragh South and Curragh North – are currently active.