ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED Episode 3 - Crocodiles and Witch Doctors
This mine was very remote. In the 1980's, there was no road to the site.
A road would be constructed in the following decade.
A majority of construction workers would travel to the site by company speed boat. An airport was being built; this would allow many to fly in from the outside world.
The jungles of Borneo are legendary, this mine site is surrounded by an ancient forest, home to the Orangutan, the Clouded Leopard, the Sun Bear, in fact 222 mammals in total, 44 of which are not found anywhere else on Earth. There are 420 different birds including the Hornbill, 37 are not found anywhere else.
Did I mention Crocodile? Borneo is home to the giant saltwater crocodile, the biggest reptile on earth at around six meters long, fully grown.
The operation constructed two new towns, adjacent to the old village of Sangatta. Thousands were employed during construction, today the population is 125,000.
In the 1990's Kel Bendeich was the Superintendent Emergency Services for the mine. Kel had 33 full-time Emergency Response personnel, manning two emergency stations 25 kilometres apart. The role of the emergency response team included the ever growing village and river of Sangatta.
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