Wednesday 24th February 2021

A freight train has collided with a multi-trailer truck in Kalgoorlie. 

Emergency services were called to the Yarri Road crossing at about 5:00 pm Monday after two freight train drivers aged in their 70s were involved in a collision with a road train. The drivers were flown to Perth, with one listed as being in critical condition and the other stable.

A spokesman said, 'Kalgoorlie Police attended the site and have now released it to the rail infrastructure owner, the Australian Rail Track Corporation, which will now coordinate the rail recovery process.'

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau had launched an investigation into the collision, which showed, the road truck had driven into the path of freight train 2C74, resulting in the crash.

More to this story can be found on the ABC website.

Inquiry into the death of Miner, Daniel Springer found to be a 'tragic accident'. 

Thirty-year-old miner Daniel Springer tragically died as a result of an incident at a central Queensland mine in August 2017.

He was performing maintenance on an excavator bucket, cutting the external metal plate for removal, when one of the curved metal plates sprang up, striking him in the head, instantly knocking him unconscious. He was transported to hospital but died several days later.

Coroner Nerida Wilson delivered findings to the Cairns court yesterday that Daniel Springer's death was an unlikely event that could probably have not been predicted.

Coroner Wilson said, 'as a result of heavy use, the external wear plate on the bucket had become indented, creating built-up, stored energy or tension, and when released through the air carbon arc gouging process the plate spring-back was approximately 1.15 metres, striking Daniel in the head.'

Daniel did not complete hot work training at the mine site. Although he had completed similar training at previous locations, the mine's methods for tracking what buckets needed maintenance was deemed questionable.

The full story can be found on the ABC website.