Diagnosis or cause of accident
Six men died in what was the worst mine disaster in living memory in Western Australia. Not since the Great Boulder Disaster in 1904, 114 years ago, when 5 men lost their lives in one accident has there been such a tragedy. It happened at the EMU Mine near Leinster, Western Australia. On the day of the disaster, because of the heavy rains, this particular pit (which was a smaller one adjacent to the larger pit) commenced to accumulate water. The mining crew made preparation to vacate the decline, and all major equipment was withdrawn.

As water began to overflow the narrow neck of ground between the two pits, a mining crew of five re entered the decline in a large front end loader to retrieve a pump. As they did so, the neck of ground separating the pits began to erode rapidly, vastly increasing the rate of water flow into the smaller pit. The Manager, seeing this, drove into the pit to withdraw the men. Whilst he was in the decline, the water flow became overwhelming, and the total pit and decline was flooded, drowning the men.

The cruel irony was that in an industry where securing adequate water was a constant challenge, the men drowned. They were victims of a drenching storm that poured water into the Emu gold mine (East Murchison United GM), later renamed Agnew, near Leinster.

The men who lost their lives were:- Brett Ronald HANSSON age 27 Terreance Michael MARTIN Kerry William PETERS age 35 Timothy Henry PROCTOR age 30 Darryl Lyall SANDFORD age 27 Darrin WILLIAMS age 23

MSW
Single

Father
Ivan Hayden PETERS

Mother
Yvonne Bridget WALSH