JUST NORTH OF SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, A TRACTOR-TRAILER crashed into a retaining wall and caught fire this morning.
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ABC TV
The truck was carrying scrap paper and rags which extended the extinguishing efforts considerably because of the need to pull apart the load. Complicating the process was the ruptured diesel fuel tank that poured along the shoulder and burned also.
The driver, in an interveiw with SevenNetwork, said:
(He) had only taken his eyes off the road for a moment.
“I was reaching down to get a drink out of my fridge,” he told the Seven Network.
“I was sort of coming along and hit the gutter there and that’s when I’m into the wall.”
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Sydney Morning Herald photo
It is the middle of summer there and the extended road closure created an additional problem for the police as people’s patience and health both deteriorated. Over 9 hours after the fire the last of the wreckage and debris was cleared from the roadway allowing traffic flow to resume. But the entire area is still gridlocked and it will be hours before normal movement can be expected.
There is some concern whether the rock-face retaining wall has been compromised and the highway dept. is examining it.
Sydney Morning Herald story HERE.
ABC TV has a good VIDEO.
New South Wales Police press RELEASE.
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