Un-Capped Boreholes. Did Unsealed Boreholes help Initiate the 9Nth Advanced Spontaneous Combustion and Fire and the directly hamper the ability of Mine Management to stop it progressing to open fire

MRE – North Goonyella – 05.10.2018.pdf

In the Mine Record Entry dated 5th October 2018 reference was made to the fact that

“During the night the Mine had located 38 surface to seam holes and identified 5/6 that were breathing in strongly. These have all been sealed.”

This is especially concerning, especially considering that in the MRE dated the 4th September the Management stated

“Activities during the previous 24 hours; Verified that all surface boreholes over the 9 North goaf were capped or sealed”

Section 7 of the 8 Nth Sealing Plan 2016 states in part

7. EVIDENCE OF IGNITION SOURCES PRESENT (REF CMSHR S326, 2D)

All surface boreholes have been cemented with the conductive casing cut below ground level and backfilled in accordance with site procedures.

Well here we are more than a month into the heating and fire.

As well as the fan shafts and drifts there are multiple uncapped boreholes that have been directly connected to the goaf.

They were supposed to be sealed as part of the Sealing Management Plan.

They were supposedly checked when the Mine was first evacuated and reported as all sealed

Now they find 38 in one night, with at least 5 or 6 intaking.

Where are they located?

Were these uncapped boreholes a direct cause of the Spontaneous Combustion?

Did the uncapped boreholes negatively impact on Inertisation efforts?

Did the un-identified, un-capped boreholes cause greater confusion as to what was occurring underground?

On the 25th September the higher than expected levels of Oxygen were obviously a concern and a mystery

Potentially 02 is still being supplied to Goaf, focus and inspection will be conducted on adjacent Goafs 8 and 7.

Again, how can this happen in this day and age?

Is this seriousness and scale of the whole incident due to uncapped boreholes?