15/09/08 – UPDATE 12:00pm – HAZELWOOD MINE FIRE

Joint Information Release

From Country Fire Authority and International Power Hazelwood

Update Monday 12.00pm – Hazelwood Mine Fire

CFA and International Power Hazelwood crews continue to work on containing a fire burning in non-operational areas of the Hazelwood open cut coal mine just south of Morwell.

Despite strong winds, crews have established some containment lines overnight and are also working on asset protection. They continue to closely monitor the fire behaviour today as strong winds have spread the fire and wind conditions are expected to change again later today.

Graeme York, CEO from International Power Hazelwood, said, “Given the difficult wind conditions and some awkward terrain, CFA and Hazelwood fire crews are doing a very good job in dealing with this incident.”

“We would like to reinforce that there is no impact on power supplies from Hazelwood Power Station,” Mr York said.

There are currently around 100 CFA personal working along side International Power Hazelwood employees and Alliance contractors to contain the fire.

Fire-fighters are concentrating on an old mine outlet area and nonoperational coal faces and they will continue this effort over thenext 48 hours.

For further CFA information contact CFA Media on 5330 3124
For further IPRH information contact Neil Lawson on 5135 5093

Information Release 15/09/2008 1200 hrs

Message Authorised By: Greg Flynn, Incident Controller
Message Authorised By: Graeme York, CEO