Hazelwood mine fire inquiry to begin

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Firefighters battle a blaze at the Hazelwood open-cut mine

Health problems caused by smoke from the Hazelwood mine fire will be the focus of a new inquiry. Source: AAP

CLAIMS the smoke from an out-of-control mine fire resulted in deaths will be the focus of another Victorian government inquiry.

PREMIER Daniel Andrews says the Hazelwood coalmine fire probe will begin in May and focus on health problems caused by the February 2014 blaze.

As the Hazlewood mine fire burnt for 45 days, the town of Morwell and surrounding areas were blanketed with smoke and ash. The inquiry, the second on the incident, would answer questions left unanswered by the former government, Mr Andrews said. “There are some very serious concerns that there were lives lost,” he told reporters on Friday. “We’re going to learn from what was a botched, terrible period, a terrible incident so it never happens again.”