Inquiry ordered into Tasmania gold mine collapse

The government of Australia’s Tasmania state today ordered an independent inquiry into a gold mine collapse that killed one man and left two others trapped underground for 14 days.

Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon said in a brief statement that the investigation would be set up using Tasmania’s workplace health and safety laws after consulting labour union officials and the state’s Minerals Council.

“The government will consult these two groups concerning the terms of reference and who is to conduct the inquiry,” Lennon said.

Lennon’s statement came as Brant Webb, 37 and Todd Russell, 34, the miners whose two week ordeal, trapped nearly 3,000 feet underground at the bottom of Beaconsfield Gold Mine then dramatically rescued, spent the day behind closed doors.

The probe announced today will be the third into the disaster.

A coroner will investigate the death of Larry Knight, crushed to death in the April 25 mine collapse that trapped Webb and Russell, and the country’s chief inspector of mines, Fred Sears, also will hold an investigation.