Man killed after massive tanker explosion
Trucks safety is the key to the new crackdown. Photo: AAP
UPDATE: Police believe a 49-year-old Hastings man may have deliberately crashed his Mercedes into a fuel tanker on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, causing the fiery crash that killed him.
The tanker driver escaped with only minor cuts and grazes when the car crossed onto the wrong side of the road in Tyabb, southeast of Melbourne, at 8.15pm on Thursday night.
Police confirmed on Friday that they are treating the crash as a deliberate self harm incident.
The tanker, carrying LPG and petrol, caught fire but the main tank was not breached.
About 20 tonnes of LPG is being decanted from the stricken tanker before police can go in to examine the scene.
CFA operations officer Don Wilkie said more than 100 firefighters worked to gain control of the fire just before midnight.
“The fact is this could have been much worse if there was an explosion,” he said on Friday.
“The B-Double still has 20 tonne of LPG in the tank. The gas company will begin decanting shortly and this process is essentially moving the gas from one tanker to another.
“ The process is expected to take until later on Friday afternoon, with police then moving in to examine the scene. The road will be closed for the rest of the day and potentially over the weekend, with residents warned a gas smell could linger.
The force of the crash sent debris 350 metres from the scene, but there was no breach of the tank’s contents, so local residents were safe to remain in their homes.
Large explosions and a fire were reported after the crash, with emergency services prevented from getting near the scene because of the blaze.
Tyabb local Bruce Thompson said he heard a series of explosions from his home, which is about 500 metres from the site of the accident.
“I heard a massive explosion and then five or six smaller explosions after that,” he said.
“It really shook the house.”
Mr Thompson said there had been smaller incidents on the highway, but it was a good road.
Ambulance Victoria said a man was treated at the scene for minor injuries and was taken to Frankston Hospital in a stable condition.
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