Coal miners honour mine accident victims
Posted
Coal miners in north Queensland will pause this afternoon to remember their colleagues who have died in mining accidents.
Twenty-seven coal miners from the Collinsville area alone have died in mining accidents, the largest of which was on this day in 1954, where seven men died from a spontaneous release of carbon dioxide.
Memorial day committee member Len Jones says all mining deaths, no matter how long ago, have a lasting impact on the community.
"The latest death I think was in '92, he was underground. I was on shift that day and it's not a very pretty sight when you've got to put one of your mates in a body bag," he said.
