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The toll as of yesterday is up from the seven firefighters hospitalised due to this issue on Thursday – creating concerns over the personal gas monitors being used as mining and operations continue to provide power for the state.
According to The Age, work continues if a reading is below three but a 48-hour break is in place for exposures beyond a reading of six.
An undisclosed miner told the newspaper that one miner exited the open cut mine with a reading of two but clocked up a reading of four after having a shower.
''It went higher after he'd had a wash and cleaned up and everything, so we're all wondering what's going on with these monitors,” the miner reportedly said.
The fire started on a disused part of the mine on February 9.
State opposition emergency services spokesperson Wade Noonan reportedly claimed the fires could burn for more than a month.
More than 200 firefighters and 100 mine staff are working in the challenging conditions.
