ENVIRONMENT

Tyre explosion after lightning strikes injures two miners

The concussion and tyre fragments from the blast shattered windows in the crib huts.

Two coal miners received injuries as a result of a lightning strike at a Queensland surface mine.

Two coal miners received injuries as a result of a lightning strike at a Queensland surface mine.

Two coal miners received injuries as a result of a lightning strike at a Queensland surface mine.

The mine had stopped production due to wet weather towards the end of the dayshift.

The mobile mining equipment was driven to a purpose built in field parking area and parked up.

The nightshift commenced their pre-start at the crib huts adjacent to the parking area, while waiting for the wet weather to ease.

The lightning TARP was initiated while the pre-start was underway.

A coal mine worker in the crib hut for the pre-start meeting saw lightning strike a truck in the park-up area.

Shortly afterwards, the position 5 tyre on the truck exploded.

The concussion and tyre fragments from the blast shattered windows in the crib huts, dislodged air conditioners, lights and water tanks from their fixtures.

Two coal mine workers received injuries requiring first aid treatment.

The crib huts were considered to be a place of safety during severe weather and lightning.

"Assess the most appropriate methods of protecting coal mine workers from the consequences of tyre explosions and appropriate methods of preventing lighting strikes to mobile plant at park up locations," QMI said.

"Rubber tyred mobile plant cannot be considered as a place of safety during a lightning storm. Care must be taken where these vehicles are parked during a lightning storm so as not to create a hazard for coal mine workers, buildings or structures."

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