4/14/2017 Firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire

Victoria NewsSHARE
National
Environment
TWEET Health
MORE Education
Investigations Good Weekend Galleries Clique
SUBSCRIBE Photos
LOGIN / SIGN-UP

Prepaidzero -
German Sim
Buy a German Prepaid Sim
Melbourne Traffic Quizzes Card. Use data anywhere in
Germany.
germany.prepaidzero.com

Home / News / VictoriaNews

FEBRUARY 17 2014 SAVE PRINT LICENSE ARTICLE

Firefighters falling ill at coal mine fire

Goya Dmytryshchak and Henrietta Cook

Nineteen firefighters have been hospitalised after falling ill or

becoming concerned about elevated carbon monoxide levels while at
the three-kilometre fire roaring through an open-cut coal mine at
the Hazelwood Power Station.

Leading firefighter and United Firefighters Union representative

Danny Ward said more than 200 firefighters and 100 mine staff were
working in extremely volatile conditions.

SHARE

Morwell and the Hazelwood Power Station are under threat.Photo: Wayne Taylor

Mr Ward said he was concerned about the health of crews fighting the
Advertisement
fire as well as residents in Morwell and Traralgon and there needed to
be a week of sustained rain to extinguish the fire, which has been
burning since February 9. ''We haven't got the capacity to put enough
water on it to put it out.''

While a smoke hazard alert on elevated carbon-monoxide levels was

downgraded to an advisory status, doctors said they were treating an
increasing number of locals for respiratory issues.

Yarragon Medical Centre GP Malcolm McKelvie said he treated three

people in his clinic in the last few days with asthma exacerbated by
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire2014021632u0r.html 1/5
4/14/2017 Firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire
people in his clinic in the last few days with asthma exacerbated by
Victoria News National
smoke. In theSHARE
most serious
Environment Health Education
case, a child onMORE
TWEET
school camp
Investigations
had gone
MOSTGalleries
Good Weekend POPULAR Clique Photos
SUBSCRIBE LOGIN / SIGN-UP

through two puffers in just 24 hours.

1 Veteran police officer killed in bike
crash in front of daughter
It's understood the Hazelwood divisional command - a space where
staff work - was forced to relocate due to carbon monoxide levels
2 Man's body found at entrance to
within the building and even higher readings of the toxic gas outside. Prepaidzero - park
apartment complex car
Miners are continuing to work at the site to maintain the state's
power supply. A man who has worked at the mine for more than 20 German Sim
3 Easter 2017 public holidays guide:
years, but who wanted to remain anonymous, said workers had Whats open and whats on in
Buy a German Prepaid Sim
Melbourne
concerns about the accuracy of carbon monoxide testers they had to
Card. Use data anywhere in
wear.
4 Germany.
Fines failures mean almost 2 million
infringements end in punitive action
germany.prepaidzero.com
5 Violent patients put into comas to
protect staff

Artilux Fly Screens

Quality Screens, Made For Your Home

artilux.com.au
Discreet & Stylish. Free Quote! Found the perfect home?
Advertisement
Find the perfect home loan SEARCH NOW
The miner said if a reading was between zero and three, workers were
allowed to go back on the job, but a reading above six meant miners
could not front for work for 48 hours. The miner said one worker
came out of the cut with a reading of two, and after he had a shower,
the reading rose to four.
PROPERTY NEWS
''It went higher after he'd had a wash and cleaned up and everything,
so we're all wondering what's going on with these monitors.'' What clearance rates really
mean when ...
A spokeswoman for the Victorian State Control Centre said
emergency services and the Environment Protection Authority would
continue to monitor the air over coming weeks to minimise any risks How to instantly update the
to communities or firefighters. look of ...

''Monitoring of carbon monoxide is being undertaken continuously

both at the mine site and in the Morwell community by Emergency
Services HazMat technicians.''
FOLLOW MELB EXPRESS
She said firefighters battling the blaze were tested when they arrived
at the mine and were unable to leave until they had been tested again.
FACEBOOK TWITTER
''Firefighters and mine staff are required to leave the mine every two
hours for a break and carbon monoxide levels are regularly checked by
each crew using air quality monitors and this information is recorded FOLLOW THE AGE
every 15 minutes.''

She said some firefighters were also required to wear breathing NEWSLETTERS
apparatus while fighting the fire.

A firefighter at incident-management level, who could face dismissal

if named, said that if firefighters were being hospitalised, the
incident was not being managed correctly.

''If people are being hospitalised, it indicates one of two things,'' he

said. ''The safety officers at the job aren't doing their job correctly, in
that people should be wearing breathing apparatus in areas of high
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire2014021632u0r.html 2/5
4/14/2017 Firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire

carbon
Victoriamonoxide.''
NewsSHARE
National Environment Health
TWEET MORE Education
Investigations Good Weekend Galleries Clique Photos
SUBSCRIBE LOGIN / SIGN-UP

Shadow emergency service minister Wade Noonan said the situation

was dangerous and complex, and the fires could burn for more than a
month and produce elevated levels of carbon monoxide.

The EPA has tested water in the Hazelwood cooling ponds but initial Prepaidzero -
results found that mercury levels were below levels that posed a
health risk. German Sim
A Victorian WorkCover Authority spokesman said it had made
Buy a German Prepaid Sim
inquiries when informed about the incident and would continue to Card. Use data anywhere in
work with the Country Fire Authority if required. Germany.
germany.prepaidzero.com

YOUMIGHTLIKE

Choosefrommorethan160qualityonline
courses
DEAKIN UNIVERSITY SPONSORED

EVERY JOB. EVERYWHERE. FOR YOU

UberXDriverPartner UberXDriverPartner UberXDriverPartner

PortMelbourne,PortPhillip StKilda,PortPhillip
Caulfield,GlenEiraArea

e.g.job,company,title Please select region SearchjobsonAdzuna

RECOMMENDED

United States' first female The One Thing that is

Muslim judge found dead Costing Homeowners
in... Thousands
NEWS Promoted HOME LOANS AUSTRALIA

Fund manager loses $297 Choose from more than

million divorce fight after 160 quality online courses
failing to...
BUSINESS Promoted DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

Brayden Dillon, 15, shot in Are You Taking Advantage

the head at Glenfield home of Infrastructure in Your
dies in... SMSF? (White...
NEWS Promoted AMP CAPITAL

Donald Trump Learns How To Boost Your

About North Korea From Superannuation
China's...
HUFFINGTON POST Promoted ESUPERFUND

Teen parents found after Discover Government

disappearing from Nepean Incentives For Solar
Hospital with...
NEWS Promoted SOLARQUOTES

poweredbyplista

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire2014021632u0r.html 3/5
4/14/2017 Firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire

COMPARE & SAVE

Victoria NewsSHARE
National
Environment
TWEET
Health
MORE Education
Investigations Good Weekend Galleries Clique Photos
SUBSCRIBE LOGIN / SIGN-UP

Looking for a Home Loan?

Finally, a new way to get a Better
Did your energy bill go up?
Enter the competition to WIN free
Exploring the Neighbourhood?
Experience more with a range of
Prepaidzero - home loan
Dive into your next
Need to know how much you could
Deal! Electricity for a year. credit card options
German Sim
borrow?

GET STARTED YES COMPARE NOW YES

Buy a German Prepaid Sim
Card. Use data anywhere in
MOST VIEWED TODAY Germany.

germany.prepaidzero.com

VICTORIA

A 30-storey Moonee Ponds tower US drops largest non-nuclear Corby quizzes Bali officials, weeks
wins Wynne's approval bomb for first time in Afghanistan out from deportation

Easter 2017 public holidays guide: China would guarantee security if US drops largest non-nuclear
Whats open and whats on in North Korea gave up nuclear bomb for first time in Afghanistan
Melbourne weapons, state media

Violent patients put into comas to Corby quizzes Bali officials, weeks 'The most psychologically ill-
protect staff out from deportation equipped president in US history'

Veteran police officer killed in bike 'The injustice of it': Bryan Dawe Teenager dies in hospital after
crash in front of daughter breaks his silence on the death of being shot at point-blank range
John Clarke while in bed

Nurse taken hostage at Royal Coles rolls back ad after staff Boy, 15, shot 'execution style' at
Melbourne Hospital sexually harassed Sydney home in revenge attack

DREAM HOMES DREAM HOMES DREAM HOMES

Albert Park Kew Hawthorn

GREG HOCKING HOLDSWORTH PROTEC PROPERTY GROUP L ILLU RT EDGAR ALBERT PARK

Subscribe today for unlimited

GET STARTED
access from only 50c a day

The Age

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire2014021632u0r.html 4/5
4/14/2017 Firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire

Victoria NewsSHARE
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
National
Environment Health
MORE Education
TWEET THE AGE Investigations Good Weekend Galleries Clique
SUBSCRIBE
Photos
LOGIN
SITES / SIGN-UP
CLASSIFIEDS OUR
AM Edition Sitemap Place an Ad SMH
PM Edition About Us Cars The Age
The AGE for iPad Contact Us Dating AFR.com

Prepaidzero -
Today's Paper Subscribers Jobs Adzuna
Subscribe Advertise With Us Real Estate Domain
Manage My Subscription Text Version Commercial Real EstateGerman Sim
Drive
Subscriber Hub Site Accessibility Guide Oneflare RSVP
Buy a German Prepaid Sim
Corporate Subscriptions Nabo Essential Baby
Digital Subscription FAQs Tributes
Card. Use dataHome
anywhere in
Price Guide
Good Food Guide Celebrations
Germany. Weatherzone
The Store by Fairfax germany.prepaidzero.com
Newsletters

WEBSITE FEEDBACK

Member Centre News Store Archive Fairfax Syndication Careers Events Press Council Copyright2017
Fairfax

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/firefightersfallingillatcoalminefire2014021632u0r.html 5/5