On 12 October 1912 a fire broke out at the North Lyell copper mine, causing dense smoke and chaos for the workers caught in the underground tunnels. Rescue efforts successfully saved approximately 128 miners but efforts were hindered by the mine not having an emergency warning signal or sufficient exit points. A total of 42 people lost their lives.
Industrial - Queenstown copper mine
Quick Statistics
42
Fatalities
Information Sources
ABC Rural, Historian unveils theory on 1912 mine disaster, 9 October 2008, website viewed 23 November 2011
Queenstown Tasmania, The Mt Lyell Mining & Railway Company - the brief history of Mt Lyell, website viewed 23 November 2011
State Emergency Service, Tasmanian Government Management Plan Issue 6, website viewed 24 November 2011
The Mercury (Hobart), 'In days gone by: 25 years ago', 14 October 1937, viewed on Trove website (ID 29189672), 24 November 2011