WorkSafe SA inspectors arrived late on Thursday night to investigate the scene of the accident and talk to mine management and police.

South Australia police have told WorkSafe the coal miner fell from a bulldozer he was travelling in and down a ledge, a WorkSafe spokesman Peter Adams told International Longwall News this morning.

The deceased man, believed to be in his 40s, was found by workmates and taken from the mine to the local hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Leigh Creek coal mine in the north of SA provides coal to energy giant Babcock & Brown Power’s Flinders Power Station in Port Augusta.

Babcock & Brown Power told ILN it could not comment on the death as investigations were underway.

WorkSafe said police were receiving multiple versions of events which led to the death.

Events surrounding the accident are unknown and WorkSafe said it hoped to have a clearer picture of what happened by the end of today.

“It is still very much a grey area and we really have to work on the investigation first thing this morning, a lot of work lies ahead,” Adams told ILN.

“(Including) The work out in the field and the paper trail going through what systems were in place at the mine and determining what training inductions and supervision, which are required under the laws here.”

The name of the deceased has yet to be released and no details were available of his position at the mine or his experience.

WorkSafe said its inspectors, including a safety inspector from its specialist mines and major hazards facilities team, would talk to mine management and look at records to determine what happened.