Fatal underground collapse at Ballarat gold mine: Everything you need to know
![The rockfall at the Ballarat Gold Mine happened about 3km underground, Victoria Police say.](https://images.thenightly.com.au/publication/C-13946843/f968511e6c70081829cfcbf0e9556d19b53588e0-16x9-x0y0w1280h720.jpg?imwidth=810)
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
- An underground collapse at the Ballarat Gold Mine at Mount Clear, northwest of Melbourne, left two men pinned beneath fallen rocks on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 13
- Twenty-nine miners involved in the incident took refuge in a safety pod and were later brought to the surface
- One of the pinned miners, a 21-year-old man from Ballarat, was stabilised and extracted from the mine before he was flown to the Alfred Hospital with lower-body injuries
- The 21-year-old remained in a critical condition at the hospital as of March 14
- A 37-year-old miner from Bruthen in East Gippsland died after the collapse and his body was recovered about 5.15am on March 14
- The Australian Workers’ Union claimed the pair was doing a manual type of mining called “air legging” and working on unsupported ground when the ground gave way
- The union said the type of air legging should not have been used and accused the mine’s management of being at fault
- WorkSafe is investigating the incident
- The union wants WorkSafe to consider Victoria’s workplace manslaughter laws as it conducts its investigation
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.WHERE DID THE INCIDENT HAPPEN?
- The rockfall happened about 3km underground from the Ballarat Gold Mine’s entrance, Victoria Police say
- The gold mine is owned by Victory Minerals, which took control of the operation in December 2023
![Australian Workers Union Victoria state secretary Ronnie Hayden speaks to media.](https://images.thenightly.com.au/publication/C-13946843/9b9c55c0e522fc119ea44d5bc833cf705f8b306d.jpg?imwidth=810)
HOW HAVE PEOPLE REACTED?
- Victory Minerals - “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”
- The Australian Workers’ Union Victoria secretary Ronnie Hayden - “It’s devastating because we’ve lost another worker and no worker should be injured or die at work. It’s even more devastating because it should have been avoided”
- Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan - “The gold mining industry is a big part of Ballarat’s history and past ... and economy and many people will know of the miners”