Mine worker stable after being crushed

A mine worker was believed to be in a serious but stable condition after being crushed between two containers at Solid Energy's Stockton opencast coal mine today.

The man, in his early 40s, was working on the construction site of Stockton mine's new $1 million processing plant at the time of the accident, just after 11am.

St John northern region spokesman Ian Henderson said an ambulance was sent to the scene as well as the Solid Energy rescue helicopter, which flew in from Greymouth.

Poor visibility stopped the helicopter landing at Stockton and it waited at Granity Fire Station for the man to be brought down by ambulance.

Granity fire chief Murray Watson said the man was eventually flown to Grey Base hospital just before 1pm.

Solid Energy communications director Vicki Blyth said she understood the man was a subcontractor working for Brightwater Engineering, which has the coal-processing plant contract.

The Department of Labour had been notified and a mines inspector had already been to the site to start a preliminary investigation, Ms Blyth said.

- NZPA