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Construction Crane Burns, Collapses – Video Included

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Firefighters Unable to Approach  Burning Platform

A CONSTRUCTION CRANE IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, caught on fire Tuesday morning at 10 am local time, and the uncontrollable fire eventually led to the cranes collapse with the boom landing across the roof of a nearby building.

The Australian

The fire started in the generator on the platform that powers the unit.  There were apparently some tell-tale actions that forewarned the workmen that something bad was going to happen, because they all scampered to safety, including the operator up on the boom.

The Australian reported:

Angry construction workers said they had walked off the job three weeks ago with safety concerns about the crane claiming it was dripping diesel.

"We asked for something to be done about it but nothing was done," union state secretary Brian Parker said.

A 20 metre boom crashed into the building earlier this morning. The crane is the biggest industrial crane in Sydney's city.

The workmen were working on the building when the crane exploded into flames.

"The crane was in the air and you just heard the cables snap one by one," a witness told the Daily Telegraph. "The crane then crashed into the building which the guys were working on."

The Australian

100 people were evacuated from the site and another hundred were evacuated from the area. Emergency crew members said the position where the crane crashed is making it stable.

The crane driver ran down from the cabin just 10 minutes before the crane was engulfed by flames. About 1000 litres of diesel which powers the generator sparking the fire caused the cables to snap.

About 20 firefighters who attempted to climb the boom to extinguish the flames quickly ran down from the unsafe crane and instead allowed the fire to extinguish itself.  At 11am, smoke was still issuing from the crane deck but the flames have since subsided.

Naturally, there were some videographers out there who captured the event:

This first vid has non-family audio

 

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The Australian has a 30-image photo gallery HERE.

As a side note, several have observed that this crane is owned by the same outfit that owns the infamous crane that failed and was left dangling over Broadway in NYC when Hurricane Sandy rolled through.

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Posted by on November 27, 2012 • Filed under: Building construction, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Nursing Home Fire Update

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Nurse Held Without Bond

THE REGISTERED NURSE WHO WAS arrested and charged for the arson at a Sydney, Australia, nursing home Friday has been identified.  Police have disclosed that Roger Dean, 35, has been charged with murder and arson in the one-story nursing home where he worked.  He had been seen earlier on television news reports as he told the journalists that he had helped evacuate  patients as the fire was raging inside.

Dean had been working at the Quakers Hill Nursing Home for about two months.  He had resigned from his previous job at another nursing home following a dispute with the management.

Dean is shown at the 0:45 mark on this earlier video report:

 

He has been charged with four counts of murder, but is expected to also be charged with a fifth following the recent death of one of the survivors.  There are still 32 victims hospitalized with 14 of them in critical condition.  Police are not commenting on the specifics of the arson nor disclosing the motive, if any.

9News has the STORY.

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Suspect Had Been Interviewed by Police Just Prior to Fire

It has been disclosed that Dean had been interviewed by Sydney police just a few hours earlier in connection with his previous work location.  Co-workers there had filed a complaint against Dean and the officers were investigating it.  While talking to Dean at his home Thursday evening, the officers were called away on an emergency leaving the interview incomplete.  The fire was set Friday morning around 5 am.

The Sydney Morning Herald adds:

The deadly blaze took hold at the nursing home, about 500 metres away from Mr Dean's townhouse, just before 5am on Friday. It is believed one fire was set with a cigarette lighter on bed sheets in an unoccupied room. The second fire was set in a room believed to have been occupied.

At the scene on Friday morning, Mr Dean told reporters: ''I just quickly did what I could to get everyone out. The smoke was just overwhelming.''

Dean pictured outside the fire building sucking in
taxpayer-supplied oxygen during the incident.  (AFP)

However, later that evening he was arrested at Mount Druitt police station after a police inquiry that involved interviews with nursing home staff members.

Police said it was expected to take some time to piece together what happened, after two fires were believed to have broken out in separate wings of the Quakers Hill Nursing Home in the early hours of Friday.

The 100-bed facility had three separate areas for high-care residents, low-care patients and those staying in respite care. There were 87 residents in the home on Hambledon Road when the fire broke out. Two people died in their rooms, while a third died after being rescued from the home. A fourth person died in hospital on Friday afternoon and the fifth died yesterday morning. The bodies of the two residents who died in the home were removed on Friday night.

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Posted by on November 20, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fires, Major Incidents, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Update: Arrest Made – Multi-Fatal Nursing Home Fire in Australia

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Apparent Arson

Update:  Arrest Made, Man Charged.  Scroll down.
Plus More Videos Added.

A FIRE IN A SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, NURSING HOME Friday morning killed at least four elderly residents and sent about 60 others to hospitals for treatment.  Most of the residents affected were bed-ridden and unable to help themselves.  Early reports say that there were two separate fires set in the building. 

Channel 10 News

AdelaideNow is reporting:

The Quakers Hill aged-care facility in Sydney's northwest did not have fire sprinklers installed even though other states require older structures to retro-fit with the firefighting measure.  It is understood that two fires broke out in separate wings of the single-storey structure about 5am this morning.

Homicide detectives will lead Strike Force Westall, which will include forensic investigators, to determine the cause of the fire.

The inferno tore a large hole in the roof of the facility, which had to be structurally secured before investigators entered the scene.

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Meanwhile, it is understood two young officers were among the first on the scene of the fire at Quakers Hill Nursing Home, and raced inside with little or no safety equipment before dragging out a number of residents.

"The commissioner and the deputy commissioner have just met with two very young police, one of them a probationary constable, shirts covered in soot and dirt … who were instrumental in my view in saving lives," Superintendent Robert Redfern told reporters outside the facility in Quakers Hill.

Adelaide Now / Grainger

EuroNews has filed this brief video:

 

ABC-TV (Aus.) has a later in-depth report HERE.
The Sydney Morning Herald has MORE.

Adelaide Now has a 60+ image photo gallery HERE.

ITV News filed this video:

 

ABC News has another good video here showing scenes inside the fire building:

 

UPDATE:  ARREST MADE.
New South Wales Police have arrested a 35-yr.-old man and charged him with four counts of murder.  The man is a registered nurse and lives in the area, but they have not said if he is employed at the nursing home that burned.  Following intense investigation, he was arrested early Saturday morning (note the time difference).

The unnamed man has been refused bail and will be arraigned later in the morning.

The corrected count of injuries stands at 32 with 15 of them in critical care units (five of them with severe burns).  The death toll remains at four. 

ABC News has the latest HERE.

 

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Posted by on November 18, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Major Incidents, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Ultra-Light Plane Crashes Into Ferris Wheel

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No Injuries on Nearly-Empty Wheel

AN ULTRA-LIGHT AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO AN OPERATING Ferris Wheel Saturday afternoon near Sydney, Australia.

NZ Herald

The wheel was set up at a rural fair and was designed for children only.  But a light rain had started falling and only five children were on the ride when the ultra-light carrying a pilot and one passenger  inexplicably flew into the framework of the amusement ride.

This ITN video report includes a bystanders video that caught the impact:

 

Two of the children, ages 13 and 9 were trapped in their seat but were freed after about an hour. The pilot and passenger were trapped in the wreckage for three hours while the fire brigade cautiously worked to extricate them.  The two men were enveloped inside the fuselage with their seatbelts wrapped around them as fuel from the gas tank leaked onto the machinery of the ride.  The firefighters had to maintain a foam blanket over the spill as they worked to release the two men by utilizing an overhead crane.

AP

One eyewitness told the Sydney Morning Herald:

''I was watching and saw the little plane take off to the south. It wasn't gaining height from the moment it left the ground. I was thinking: 'What's this guy doing?' He was slightly to the left of the airfield where the temporary Ferris wheel has been erected.

''He started to veer to the left and he flew straight into the second from top carriage on the right hand side … there were lots of ambulances and fire crews using foam and water because the plane dropped its fuel. When the plane took off there was very little breeze, if any."

The 52-yr.-old pilot said that he never saw the wheel and he was surprised to find himself tangled up in it.

Air safety authorities are wanting to find out why the ferris wheel was erected right next to the airstrip, but neighbors say it has been set up in the same spot during the fair for at least six years.

ABC News carried the STORY.
The Sydney Morning Herald has MORE.

Shown is some raw video of the crane operation:

 

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Posted by on October 1, 2011 • Filed under: aircraft, Fire Rescue Topics, rescue, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Aussie Ambo Wipes Out in Bus Lane

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Skids On Its Side Nearly 100 Yards

AN AMBULANCE IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, CRASHED HEAVILY Tuesday night while responding to a call and appears to be demolished.

Daily Telegraph

While responding in city traffic, the ambulance driver chose to use a dedicated bus lane that has no shoulders but is bounded by curbstones and barriers.  Somehow he struck one of the side barriers causing the ambulance to roll onto its side.  The Daily Telegraph continues:

The vehicle allegedly collided with a median strip, toppling onto the (left) side and sliding about 85 metres before it stopped.  The back doors of the vehicle flung open on impact, sending the equipment and medical paraphernalia inside flying out on to the road.

Daily Telegraph

The front window smashed and the passenger side of the vehicle was crushed when it landed on its side, with all the glass blown out of the side windows.

The two paramedics inside were not seriously injured but were taken to Westmead Hospital for treatment and observation.

They weren't carrying a patient and another ambulance completed the dispatched call.  Investigation of the accident is continuing.

The Daily Telegraph has the story and a video HERE.
Also a 13-image photo gallery HERE.

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Posted by on August 3, 2011 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances • Tagged: , ,

Fire and Explosions Destroy Aussie Paint Factory

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Powerful Ka-Booms Send Workers Running

A CHEMICAL REACTION IN A PAINT FACTORY just outside Sydney, Australia, Friday triggered a chain of explosions that sent the employees running for their lives.

Daily Telegraph

The initial explosion blew the roof off of the plant and the subsequent fire and further explosions destroyed the building.  RIA Novosti has posted this very impressive video report:

 

More than 20,000 liters of chemicals, paint thinner and resins were stored inside the plant and fed the blaze as well as contributing a constant series of explosions as the 100+ firefighters attempted to contain the fire.  More than 50 workers in neighboring plants were also evacuated during the blaze that started around 12:40 pm local time.

The fire was contained and brought under control by 3 pm.  It was extinguished not long after that.

The Daily Telegraph has MORE.

Posted by on January 28, 2011 • Filed under: explosion, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Stiletto Races – cont’d.

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ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF SEPTEMBER in Sydney, Australia, is the annual Stiletto Races.  In years past the charity fund-raising event has been centered on an 80-meter sprint.  But this year a new format was introduced, the 4 X 100 relay.  As in past years, all entrants were checked to verify that they were wearing heels that were at least 3 inches high, and that they had “smooth legs.”

More then 100 entrants lined up on Tuesday morning to grab the baton and when the starting gun sounded they were off and running.

One of the teams failed to finish when one of the ladies lost a heel.

When the dust and heels settled, the winning team, The Pinkettes crossed the finish line in just
one minute and four seconds.  A new world record for the 4 X 100-meter stiletto. 

 The Associated Press brings us this video report from the race course:

The Daily Telegraph has the FULL STORY.

Firegeezer Flashback:

The anchor runner on this year’s winning team is Brittney McGlone.  Miss McGlone was also the winner of the 2008 sprint that Firegeezer reported on.  In that race there were 265 glams with gams who sprinted 80 meters.  For the sake of historical accuracy, we reprise our video from that race two years ago:

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Posted by on September 28, 2010 • Filed under: culture, fun, News, Videos • Tagged: ,

Another Multi-Alarm in Sydney

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Update:  Video added.  Scroll down.

Daily Telegraph

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE DAYS, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA firefighters had to call extra alarms on a fire.  Tuesday night a fire was discovered at an electronics supply warehouse in the west side of the city that brought 100 firefighters and 20 fire companies to the scene.  The fire started just before 6 pm Tuesday and is still smoldering this morning.  The building that contained several millions of dollars worth of goods was a total loss.

Daily Telegraph

The warehouse is reported to be owned by Cooper Electrical, an industrial electrical supplier.  

Fire Superintendent Paul Baily told ABC News,  “We have firefghters methodically working through the building using thermal imaging cameras and smaller diameter hoses.  They’ll be making final extinguishment of the fire, following that our fire investigation teams with New South Wales police will be doing some work on the cause of the fire.”

Daily Telegraph

The Sydney Morning Herald has the early REPORT.

ABC News filed this video report from the fire scene:

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Hat tip:  Darren V.

Posted by on August 18, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged:

School Buses Collide – 43 Injured

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A SCHOOL BUS RAN INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER ONE just outside Sydney, Australia, Tuesday afternoon (local time).  The hard collision left 43 of the approx. 60 high school-age students on board injured.

au bus b sydmorherald

Sydney Morning Herald

The accident brought 23 ambulances to the scene, but fortunately all of the injuries were of the “minor” variety….cuts, scrapes, bruises and some neck and back pain.  Twenty of the injured were transported to the hospital on a replacement bus with several paramedics on board monitoring them.  Compounding the overriding confusion was a sudden influx of parents who raced to the scene and the grapvine shot the news around.

ABC-TV has a video  report HERE.
The Blue Mountains Gazette has the DETAILS HERE.

Posted by on May 11, 2010 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics • Tagged: , ,

Shortcut to Success – Fail

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IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, AN AMBULANCE DRIVER is on trial charged with murdering his wife.  During the opening arguments on Tuesday, the prosecuter told the court that he was a husband who described his wife to friends as “pig ugly” but “filthy rich” and took her camping just so he could throw her off a cliff.

The Independent Online News service reports:

Ambulance driver Des Campbell, 52, has pleaded not guilty to the 2005 murder of his wife, 49-year-old Janet Fisicaro.

Fisicaro’s death came just six months after the wedding and allegedly after he had bilked her of most of her savings.  The camping spot was just metres from the sheer drop from which he said she fell.

On the day of the funeral, which Campbell did not attend, he first renewed his subscription to an Internet dating site and then left on holiday with one of his three girlfriends.

campbell a

Janet Fiscaro (l.) and Des Campbell

“The crown case is that the accused, Des Campbell, never had any real intention of living a proper, normal, long-term family life with Janet Campbell,” the prosecutor said. “The crown alleges the motive for this killing was sheer greed for money.”

Despite his denials originally, it was brought out that Campbell and Fisicaro were secretly married in September 2004.  Her relatives had been trying to dissuade her from having a serious relationship with Campbell because of his reputed record of past associations.  Referring to that episode, the Crown Prosecutor alleged Campbell began seeing a woman, June Ingham in 2001 when he found out she was due to receive more than £100,000 in a family settlement.  Ingham moved to Australia from the UK and bought Campbell a Lotus sports car and a house, which he later sold after breaking up with her by sending her a text message.

campbell b signIn Tuesday’s testimony, an acquaintance of Campbell’s, Colin Sander said that after hearing that the couple had become engaged, he approached Campbell to congratulate him, but Campbell refused to shake his hand and appeared to be “edgy.”  

“I went up to Des and congratulated him on his engagement,” Sander testified.  “Des said he’s not engaged, he would never be engaged to Janet and if she keeps stalking him he’s going to put an AVO on the bitch.”

In testimony continuing Wednesday, Campbell’s former sister-in-law, Toni Sanderson told the jury that Campbell said “he couldn’t bring himself to shag her”, despite the fact she was “loaded” and had promised to buy him a car.

The trial is continuing today.

Digital Journal has more from the early days of the trial HERE.

Posted by on April 15, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Law & Justice, News • Tagged: ,

“Can You Walk to the Ambulance?”

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA HAS ADDED A NEW RESOURCE to its ambulance fleet starting with tonight’s New Year’s celebrations.  ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corp.) tells of their plans:

Sydney paramedics will now be able to reach patients locked in by massive New Year’s Eve crowds thanks to a new, pint-sized ambulance.  The latest addition to the NSW Ambulance Service, a micro car measuring a mere 250 centimetres (8 feet)in length, will be deployed for the first time on December 31 after a successful trial earlier this month.

tiny ambo a ABC TV

Premier Kristina Keneally, who was on hand to announce the $18,000 Smart car ambulance, says it will enable paramedics to manoeuvre through large crowds unlike regular ambulance vehicles.

“The advantage of the Smart car is that it will allow our ambulance service to have a quicker response, particularly when it comes to large events,” she said.  “We intend to use the Smart car in big events … we anticipate it will be in use every weekend.”

About 300 paramedics and 150 ambulance vehicles will be working in Sydney’s metropolitan area on New Year’s Eve, which is expected to draw 1.5 million people to Sydney Harbour.

The mini-ambulance contains all the essentials found in a regular ambulance, except for the cot, including oxygen resuscitation equipment, drug and first aid kits, and a defibrillator.  It also has the advantage of protecting paramedics from the elements, unlike ambulance motorcycles.

ABC broadcast this news snippet:

Posted by on December 31, 2009 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Videos • Tagged: , ,

A 1st-Alarm Response for Porcine Flatulence

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A FARMER IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, FELT COMPELLED TO CALL IN a gas leak on Tuesday when a strong odor of natural gas filled his house.  While his home heating is supplied by bottled gas, the extra-high wildfire hazard conditions in Victoria are making everyone a little skittish and less hesitant to call in potential emergencies.

The Axedale Fire Station of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) dispatched two tanker/pumpers and 15 firefighters to the farmhouse which is a 10-minute drive from the station.  When the FF’s arrived, they could not only smell the heavy gas cloud covering the farmstead, but they could also hear the gas leak.  Captain Peter Harkins told reporters:

“(the farmer) was a little bit embarrassed to say the least,” he says.

“It took us a little while to compose ourselves, to speak to him.  When we got there, as we drove up the driveway, there was this huge sow, about a 120-odd kilo (265 lbs.) sow, and it was very obvious where the gas was coming from.  We could not only smell it, but we heard it and it was quite funny.  I don’t know what they were feeding this thing but we certainly heard it.”

“It was fairly obvious what it was and we hosed it down a little bit.  I think we dealt with it fairly professionally and had a bit of a giggle when we got back to the station.”

He added: “She got very excited when two trucks and 15 firies turned up and she squealed and farted and squealed and farted.  I haven’t heard too many pigs fart but I would describe it as very full-on.”

Captain Harkins was interviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald and their conversation is replayed on a video report.  Listen to it HERE and you can hear the reporter cracking up as the captain relates the unusual call.

Posted by on November 27, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fire-ology • Tagged: , , , , , ,