Two mining companies are facing serious charges following a tragic underground incident that claimed the life of a Victorian father and left a young man with critical injuries.
A Deadly Rockfall in Mount Clear
The fatal accident occurred in March 2024, approximately 500 metres underground at the Ballarat Gold Mine in Mount Clear, Victoria. A sudden rockfall trapped two miners, 37-year-old Kurt Hourigan and 21-year-old Connor Smith.
While twenty-nine other miners were successfully rescued from the site, the outcome was devastating for the two men. Kurt Hourigan, a father-of-two, was killed in the incident. His colleague, Connor Smith, suffered life-threatening injuries, including crushed legs, and required an emergency airlift to a major hospital for treatment.
Risky Technique and Alleged Safety Failures
At the time of the rockfall, the miners were engaged in a task known as air legging. This method involves workers using a handheld machine powered by compressed air and water.
Following the tragedy, Australian Workers Union Victoria secretary Ronnie Hayden was highly critical of the technique's use, stating, "They should not have been doing that task in that mine." He explained that air legging should typically be reserved for ground investigation and installing rock anchors, not for the primary purpose of tunnelling to chase gold, which he described as a "quick, cheap and easy" but dangerous approach.
WorkSafe Victoria has now launched legal proceedings against the companies involved. Victory Minerals, which had taken ownership of the gold mine just months prior in December 2023, and Carr Mining Services have both been charged over the fatal incident.
Legal Repercussions and Court Date Set
The safety watchdog alleges that both companies failed in their fundamental duty to provide a safe system of work. The specific allegation is that they did not install necessary ground support in the section of the mine where the air leg mining was being conducted.
Furthermore, WorkSafe alleges that both companies breached section 21(2)(e) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to adequately supervise workers to ensure that proper ground supports were installed during the mine's development phase.
The legal matter is proceeding, with a filing hearing listed at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on December 18. This case highlights the critical importance of workplace safety protocols in Australia's high-risk mining industry and serves as a sombre reminder of the potential human cost when those protocols are not followed.
