(Photo: Middlemount Coal)
July 1, 2019
Former Blackbutt resident David Routledge has been named as the victim of last week’s fatal mining incident at Middlemount in Central Queensland.
Mr Routledge, who was living in South Mackay, died at the Middlemount Coal mine after he became trapped inside a digger when a wall collapsed about 12:40pm on Wednesday.
Emergency workers were unable to reach the machine for several hours, citing unstable conditions at the site.
A police spokesperson said rescuers eventually reached Mr Routledge about 8:00pm but he had already died.
A team from the Mines Inspectorate has begun an investigation into the cause of the incident.
Middlemount Coal CEO Gerrie Jordaan said operations at the mine had been suspended until further notice and the company would co-operate with investigators.
