THE skills of mine staff and emergency services was put to the test in Mackay in October 2008 in an exercise at the Xstrata Newlands underground coal mine.
According to the Department of Mines and Energy (DME), senior officers from the Mines Inspectorate and coal industry experts took part in a rescue scenario to test their capabilities in the event of an emergency.
As part of the staged scenario, a fully loaded tanker veered out of control and caught on fire, releasing noxious gases and smoke into the underground workings.
Miners were then required to evacuate the mine and attend to the burning fuel tanker.
The DME conducts a major exercise at different underground coal mines each year to “help ensure Queensland maintains its high standard of mining health and safety”.
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