<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The only survivor of a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/two-dead-underground-mine-explosion-far-west-nsw/4e39a4bc-ee81-481e-b5d1-0f9a1ec2abf6" rel="" target="_blank" title="mine explosion"><span>mine explosion</span></a><span> that killed two people has sustained permanent hearing damage, her family has said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An explosion rocked an underground mine in Cobar in far western NSW last week, leaving a man and a woman dead.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sole survivor Mackenzie Stirling, aged in her 20s, was taken to hospital with hearing loss and shock.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/optus-triple-zero-outage-senate-inquiry-stephen-rue/542c15b4-fd40-4a19-8bb6-95d46984299b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Optus bosses admit failures in triple-zero outage that left three dead</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stirling is now out of hospital and recovering at home, according to her family, but they have revealed she is suffering from permanent hearing loss.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While now recovering at home, Mackenzie has sustained permanent hearing damage and continues to struggle with the traumatic events of that day,"  Emma Thomas, Stirling's aunt, said on a crowdfunding page.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She faces a long road to recovery and, on top of that, the financial strain of covering her bills and medical expenses while unable to return to work."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/cobar-endeavour-mine-explosion-nsw-mackenzie-stirling/d6d1e996-3fad-4377-974d-70b33e53e3a4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fellow worker Holly Clarke, 24, was brought to the surface alongside Stirling, but sadly died of her injuries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Also killed was Ambrose "Ambie" McMullen, 59, an Irish national fondly remembered as a "true gentleman" by locals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>All three were Cobar locals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/darwin-quad-bike-crash-11-year-old-dead/f7ee14a9-f392-4833-b33e-7e44cad5321b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Boy, 11, killed in quad bike crash on Darwin mango farm</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities are still investigating how the tragic explosion occurred but it is believed the workers were using a ballistic disc explosive to clear a blockage when it detonated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The explosives are usually detonated remotely.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We will leave no stone unturned in identifying what has occurred here," spokesperson for the NSW Mineworkers Alliance Tony Callinan said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a tragic reminder that underground mining is a dangerous job."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New South Wales Premier Chris Minns also expressed his sorrow at the "heartbreaking incident," he said last week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Everyone who goes to work has the right to come home."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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