Two employees killed in explosion at Cobar mine

Two workers have been killed and another injured in a horror explosion at an underground mine in outback NSW.

Emergency responders were called to the Endeavor Mine near Cobar in the state’s far west about 3.45am on Tuesday following reports that two people had been critically injured in a workplace incident.

Police arrived at the scene and were advised that a man had died in the underground blast.

Two female workers were transported to the surface, but one was unable to be revived.

The second woman was airlifted to hospital, suffering from hearing damage and shock.

Emergency services remain at the scene. 

Police will prepare a report for the coroner and assist SafeWork NSW in its investigation.

Cobar Shire mayor Jarrod Marsden described the incident as ‘absolutely tragic’.

Two workers have been killed in an underground explosion at Endeavor Mine near Cobar

The tragedy unfolded near Cobar in far-west NSW

‘The most valuable thing in a mine are the miners, and two families won’t see their loved ones again,’ he said.

Daily Mail has contacted the mine’s operator Polymetals and the NSW Resources Regulator for comment.

Located 40km north of Cobar, Endeavor is a major underground silver, zinc, and lead mine operated by Polymetals.

The project is described on its website as the second-largest mine in Australia’s richest polymetallic region known, as the Cobar Basin.

The mine first began operations in 1982.

Operations ceased in 2020 when the site was placed in ‘care and maintenance’ but remained ‘operationally ready’.

Polymetals acquired the mine from CBH Resources last year with the aim of restarting mining activities this year.

‘We can now get on with what the company has done best for many years, namely the cost-efficient development, management and operation of mines within Australia and particularly within the very familiar and fertile polymetallic Cobar Basin,’ Polymetals executive chairman Dave Sproule said at the time.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers. 

More to come.