Kurt Hourigan, a 37-year-old miner from Bruthen in Gippsland, died and his 21-year-old colleague is fighting for his life in hospital after rock collapsed on them 500 metres underground.
Kurt Hourigan, a 37-year-old miner from Bruthen in Gippsland, died and a 21-year-old colleague from Ballarat is fighting for his life in hospital after rock collapsed on them 500 metres underground at the Ballarat Gold Mine on Wednesday afternoon.Relative Reece Hourigan wrote on social media, “I still can’t believe you are gone. I have always looked up to you. Thank you for all the good and bad memories we have shared together.
Hourigan’s cousin, Jasmin Randell, said she couldn’t believe her family had lost a loving son, brother, father, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend.“I cannot believe I only just spoke to you the other day, telling you how much of an amazing father you are. We know you’ll be waiting at those pearly gates for us all.”
“It’s devastating because we’ve lost another worker, and no worker should be injured or die at work,” Hayden said. Thirty people were working inside the mine, located in Mount Clear, just south of central Ballarat, on Wednesday afternoon when tragedy struck about 4.50pm. “Our members have raised concerns about this style of mining, and it seems to have fallen on deaf ears,” he said. “This was a quick, cheap and easy way to chase gold.”
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