Tragic Fatality at Curragh Coal Mine Following Underground Roof Collapse

By Daniel Brooks, National Reporter

Blackwater, Queensland – January 5, 2026

A prolonged rescue operation at the Curragh coal mine in central Queensland concluded tragically on January 3, 2026, when authorities recovered the body of a missing worker following a roof collapse in the underground section. The incident, which occurred on January 2 at the Mammoth Underground mine—part of the larger Curragh complex—has claimed the life of a 59-year-old man from Banya, marking a somber start to the year for the state’s mining industry.

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The collapse happened around 3 p.m. on Friday, approximately 1 kilometer underground, trapping three workers. Emergency services, including Queensland Mines Rescue, swiftly responded. Two workers were recovered safely—one with non-life-threatening injuries, treated and released from hospital—while efforts focused on locating the third.

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Mammoth Underground Mine Management Pty Ltd, the contractor operating the site for owner Coronado Global Resources, described the news as “heartbreaking.” “We have spoken with his family to offer our sympathy and full support,” a spokesperson said, adding on-site counselling was available to all personnel.

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Coronado CEO Douglas Thompson expressed deep sadness, extending condolences and pledging support for the investigation. Operations at the underground section remain suspended.

Acting Mines Minister Tony Perrett called the incident “devastating,” thanking rescue teams for their efforts under challenging conditions. Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) is leading the probe, stating any loss of life in mining is “unacceptable.”

The Curragh complex, located 14km north of Blackwater in the Bowen Basin—one of the world’s largest coal reserves and Australia’s top source of metallurgical coal—has operated since 1983. Acquired by Coronado in 2018, it spans 256 square kilometers with open-cut and underground operations. The Mammoth section produced first coal in late 2024.

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This is the third fatality at Curragh since 2020: Donald Rabbitt (33) crushed by a tire in January 2020, and Clark Peadon (54) in a dragline incident in November 2021. Coronado faced an $80,000 fine in October 2025 over Peadon’s death.

A separate incident on the same day claimed another miner’s life at a small gold mine near Nebo, underscoring ongoing safety concerns in Queensland’s resources sector.

As investigations continue, the mining community mourns, with calls renewed for enhanced underground protocols.