Mine accident victim named

A man killed by a rockfall inside a mine in Tipperary has been named as Mario Francis from the Philippines.

He had worked at Lisheen Mine for 12 years.

John Regan, organiser with trade union Siptu at the mine, offered his sympathies to the miner’s family.

“Mario’s death has left his work colleagues in shock and underlines the dangerous nature of work underground,” he said.

“On behalf of Siptu members in the mining sector and the wider trade union movement, I would like to express sympathy to Mario’s wife and children.”

Mr Francis was a father of two.

“Mario and his family came from the Philippines to make a new life in Ireland,” said Mr Regan.

“In these tragic circumstances Mario’s family will be offered all the support possible by his Siptu colleagues and the wider trade union community.”

Mr Francis was buried in the loader he had been operating in a shaft of Lisheen Mine yesterday evening.

“The alarm was raised around 4.45pm and the mine rescue services were immediately mobilised to the scene,” a company spokesman said.

“The driver of a loader was found trapped in his vehicle underneath a rockfall.”

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lisheen Mine, which employs about 370 people and is part of the Vedanta Resources Group, said that the rockfall was a localised incident and no other worker was injured.

The Lisheen Mine is a lead and zinc mine between the villages of Moyne and Templetuohy in north Tipperary.

Investigations, including the HSA and a company inquiry, have begun and the mine will be closed until further notice, the company said.

“The management and staff of the mine extend their deepest sympathy to the family and to his colleagues. Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” a spokesman added.