Anglo American tackles subterranean fire at Australian coal mine
COAL & MINING

Anglo American tackles subterranean fire at Australian coal mine

Anglo American reported that it was contending with an underground fire at its Grosvenor metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, Australia. The fire had started on Saturday, igniting at the longwall section of the mine in Moranbah, a coal mining town situated around 1,000 km north of Brisbane. This incident occurred at the same mine where five workers were critically injured in an explosion in May 2020.

According to a statement on Facebook on Sunday, Anglo American stated, "We are currently managing a combustion event underground at Grosvenor Mine, following an ignition at the longwall on Saturday." They emphasized that their primary focus was on safely extinguishing the underground fire, which emergency response teams were handling from the surface.

The mine site had been closed, permitting only essential emergency services personnel to be present, as noted in an earlier social media update. The company also mentioned that efforts had commenced to temporarily seal the mine from the surface, a crucial measure aimed at preventing smoke from affecting the town's residents, numbering 9,425.

Acknowledging the complexity and evolving nature of the situation, Anglo American cautioned that ensuring the safety of all emergency teams involved would require significant time. All mine workers were successfully evacuated after the fire broke out.

A spokesperson for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services clarified that their agency was not directly involved in managing the incident, which remained under the mine's jurisdiction. Queensland Mines Minister Scott Stewart, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Sunday, assured a comprehensive investigation into the fire would be conducted.

In its annual report, Anglo American disclosed that Grosvenor mine had produced 2.797 million tons of metallurgical coal in 2023, constituting 17% of the company's coal output. It remains the world's third-largest exporter of metallurgical coal.

Anglo American reported that it was contending with an underground fire at its Grosvenor metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, Australia. The fire had started on Saturday, igniting at the longwall section of the mine in Moranbah, a coal mining town situated around 1,000 km north of Brisbane. This incident occurred at the same mine where five workers were critically injured in an explosion in May 2020. According to a statement on Facebook on Sunday, Anglo American stated, We are currently managing a combustion event underground at Grosvenor Mine, following an ignition at the longwall on Saturday. They emphasized that their primary focus was on safely extinguishing the underground fire, which emergency response teams were handling from the surface. The mine site had been closed, permitting only essential emergency services personnel to be present, as noted in an earlier social media update. The company also mentioned that efforts had commenced to temporarily seal the mine from the surface, a crucial measure aimed at preventing smoke from affecting the town's residents, numbering 9,425. Acknowledging the complexity and evolving nature of the situation, Anglo American cautioned that ensuring the safety of all emergency teams involved would require significant time. All mine workers were successfully evacuated after the fire broke out. A spokesperson for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services clarified that their agency was not directly involved in managing the incident, which remained under the mine's jurisdiction. Queensland Mines Minister Scott Stewart, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Sunday, assured a comprehensive investigation into the fire would be conducted. In its annual report, Anglo American disclosed that Grosvenor mine had produced 2.797 million tons of metallurgical coal in 2023, constituting 17% of the company's coal output. It remains the world's third-largest exporter of metallurgical coal.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

NABARD Holds Seminar on Vigilance, Integrity and Good Governance

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) organised a seminar on “Vigilance: Strengthening Integrity and Good Governance” on 25 August 2026 at its Head Office in Mumbai as part of the ongoing Vigilance Awareness Campaign 2026 being observed from 17 August to 16 November 2026, with the theme “Probity for Prosperity."" The seminar was graced by Suresh N Patel, Former Central Vigilance Commissioner, Government of India, as the chief guest and keynote speaker.  The programme was attended by G S Rawat, Deputy Managing Director, Dr Ajay K Sood, Deputy Managing Dire..

Next Story
Equipment

XCMG Unveils World's First 14,000-Ton Ring Crane for Heavy Lifting

XCMG has announced that the first main unit of the world's first 14,000-ton ring crane has rolled off the production line, marking a historic breakthrough in ultra-heavy lifting technology. Jointly developed by XCMG and Sinopec Heavy Lifting & Transportation Co., Ltd., the crane will be the largest-capacity ring crane ever built, setting a new benchmark for major construction projects worldwide.The crane features a modular configuration comprising two main units that work in tandem. The first main unit has completed final assembly and can independently perform lifting operations. Once both..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Thriveni Logistics orders 200 tip trailers from Jagdamba trailers

Jagdamba Trailers (JTPL), one of India’s growing trailer manufacturers, has secured a significant order for 200 Tip Trailers from Thriveni Transport and Logistics Pvt. Ltd., a leading mining and logistics company serving operations across India and overseas.The order, placed for iron ore transportation, is a major milestone for JTPL, particularly as the company secured the business after competing with more than 10 established trailer manufacturers. It also strengthens an already successful relationship between the two companies. Approximately one and a half years ago, Thriveni Transport and..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code