2LT National News

SYDNEY, Australia – An Irish father from County Cavan has been named as one of two miners killed in a devastating underground explosion in western New South Wales, Australia, on Tuesday morning.

Ambrose McMullen, originally from Cootehill in County Cavan, tragically died while working underground at the Endeavor mine near the remote town of Cobar, about 700 kilometres north-west of Sydney. The 40-year-old had become a well-known member of the tight-knit local community and was active in the local Cobar football scene.

McMullen was working alongside colleague Holly Clarke, 24, when the blast occurred. Clarke was brought to the surface but died a short time later. A third worker — a woman in her twenties — was airlifted to hospital and is being treated for hearing injuries and shock.

Cobar Shire Mayor Jarrod Marsden said McMullen lived “just across the lane” from his home and was a devoted father who held strong ties to both Ireland and his adopted community.

“He was someone that was very professional at what he’d done, he had a very high work ethic – a good and genuine person,” Marsden told The Sydney Morning Herald, describing widespread grief that has swept through the town.

The Irish Times reports McMullen had once been an active member of the Cootehill Celtic football team before emigrating to Australia, where he continued his love for the sport.

Mayor Marsden urged a swift and thorough investigation into the blast and said mining tragedies should never be accepted as inevitable.

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

“Something out of the ordinary has happened to make this happen… You would strongly hope the regulators would put things in place so that this doesn’t happen again.”

Mining operations at the Endeavor site — an underground silver, lead and zinc mine 40 kilometres from Cobar — had only recently resumed after being halted in 2020 and placed into maintenance. The mine’s new owner, ASX-listed Polymetals, restarted production this year and now employs more than 200 workers.

Polymetals paused share trading on Tuesday as it prepares a detailed statement outlining the circumstances of the explosion and potential operational impacts. Executive chairman Dave Sproule said the company was “shocked and saddened by the tragic incident”, promising support to affected families and staff.

Union officials have demanded accountability, warning that the explosion represented a catastrophic safety failure. NSW Mining & Energy Union’s South West District president Bob Timbs said: “There are two mine workers who aren’t returning home today, and there’s loved ones out there that will be grieving the loss.”

Tributes and condolences have also been offered from across the mining sector and state leadership, with NSW Natural Resources Minister Courtney Houssos calling it a “heartbreaking day”.

“Everyone who goes to work has the right to come home,” she said.

The NSW Resources Regulator has launched an investigation and emergency services remain on site. The mine operates around the clock, seven days a week, and colleagues have been left traumatised.

Across Ireland and Australia, family and friends are mourning the loss of a man remembered as dedicated, hardworking and deeply proud of both his heritage and his family.