Four miners working at GM3's Appin underground coal mine in New South Wales' Illawarra have been taken to hospital with non-life threatenig injuries after what is suspected to have been a gas outburst incident.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Mining at Appin has been suspended and NSW Resources Regulator and Mining and Energy Union investigators have gone to the site.
Some reports suggest the workers were using a continuous miner about 500m below the surface.
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As of Sunday afternoon two of the workers had been released from hospital with the other two remaining in hospital in a stable condition.
A GM3 spokesman confirmed an incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning at Appin Mine.
"Four workers were injured and have been transported to hospital, where they are reported to be in a stable condition," he said.
"Emergency services responded promptly, and all appropriate emergency protocols were enacted.
"An investigation is underway with the NSW Resources Regulator and other relevant authorities. Operations have been paused until further notice.
"At GM3, Our focus always remains on the safety of our people."
A NSW Resources Regulator spokeswoman said investigators were on site and that the regulator could not comment further at this time.
A MEU spokesman said union safety inspectors were also on the scene.
"No stone will be left unturned in determining the source of the incident and putting procedures in place to prevent it reoccurring," he said.
"Our thoughts, and the thoughts of the whole MEU, are with the affected workers, their families, and their workmates.
"All workers have the right to safely go home at the end of their shift."
