Incident Report Subject: AUSTRALIA - Two People Killed and Others Badly Injured after Tanker Truck rolled and Exploded in Mona Vale Date of Email report: Wed 02/10/2013 Report Detail:
Witnesses have described the moment a tanker caught on fire and killed two people as one of the worst accidents they'd ever seen, describing flames 20 metres high, screaming brakes and people narrowly escaping with their lives. The tanker crashed and rolled on Mona Vale Rd this afternoon with fears more have been killed and reports up to four cars were caught up in the accident. The flames have been extinguished but now the gruesome task of cleaning up the carnage of a tanker fire that killed at least two people has begun. Others were horrifically injured in the accident and subsequent blaze in Sydney's north this afternoon. The truck rolled and crashed into several other cars before bursting into flames near the intersection of Samuel St and Mona Vale Rd, Mona Vale about 3.40pm. Flames could be seen running down the gutter of the road engulfing at least two other cars as the fuel tanker burned. Builder Chris Morris said he was waiting at the roundabout at Mona Vale Rd and Samuel St when the truck came past out of control He said the truck driver's brakes were already locked up well before he went through the roundabout. The driver steered the truck up on to the left hand verge before it struck a power pole and a tree and careered back across the road and overturned, he said. "He was fighting the whole way - he was fighting that steering wheel,'' Mr Morris said. "I got out my first instinct was to run and help but I didn't even make it past my tray when it exploded.
"It was a huge mushroom of smoke and flame. "The flames were 20 metres high.'' Mr Morris said the outcome could have been far worse if not for the driver's attempts to steer the truck off the road. He estimated the out-of-control truck was still travelling between 60-80km when it narrowly missed his car by just four metres "I know people have died, but in my eyes the driver is a hero,'' he said. "We were backed up 10 to 12 deep (at the intersection) and if he had hit that line of traffic he would have killed everyone. "I could just hear the brakes screaming. "When he hit that gutter I felt it through the car.'' One man is already being hailed as a hero after ignoring his own safety to save one of the victims. An Elanora Heights man dived into flames to pull an elderly woman from her burning car following the petrol tanker explosion in Mona Vale that killed two people. Tommy Raymen, 22, who narrowly escaped becoming a victim himself, described how he turned onto Mona Vale Rd shortly before the accident. "I was driving for two seconds and saw the truck tip onto its side and start sliding towards us," he said. "As it was sliding it burst into flames ... one car in front of me went straight into the flames." Mr Raymen then pulled an elderly woman from her car. "I ran to help her, got her and tried to get her out ... she was screaming 'help me, help me'. "The heat was that extreme I could feel it on my arm. "She was quite frantic and I pulled her to the side." Mr Raymen also saw the truck driver get out of the truck's cabin. The truck driver had burns and cuts all over, Mr Raymen said. Horrified witnesses said they saw cars exploding as they came down the hill behind the tanker. They told how there seemed to be no way to rescue the driver or the people in cars following. Danielle, who lives a few houses away from the crash site, ran outside as soon as she heard the crash. "There was nobody there, it had just happened," she said. "I tried to call Triple O but there was no response. I expect everyone was trying to call them. "My husband was coming down Mona Vale road behind the tanker and he saw the cars behind the tanker burst into flames. "He said all the doors in the cars were closed and he could see people in them. "I could hear the cars exploding. There were three bangs." The truck driver has been flown to Royal North Shore Hospital suffering burns to his arms and shoulders. Five other people were also rushed to hospital, including a 75-year-old woman suffering minor burns to one of her legs and the left side of her face. Witness Josh Jobs said at least three loud explosions could be heard. "The driver of the truck was sitting with his head in his hands,'' he said. "People were trying to help him but there wasn't much anyone could do because there wasn't any ambulances there at that stage.' Mona Vale Rd was closed in both directions and motorists are advised to avoid the area. Pittwater RSL facilities manager Jan Svenoy at least three cars were caught underneath the tanker. "There's three of four cars - it's hard to tell, you just can't see because of the smoke,'' Mr Svenoy said. The back half of the truck was still well alight at 4.15pm and thick black smoke was filling the air. The truck driver had managed to escape from the vehicle and another woman had been rescued from one of the vehicles, he said. "You can hardly see the bowling greens because of all the smoke,'' he said. "We have locked down the building and got everyone inside because the air is a bit cleaner in here.'' A witness said the tanker was driving down the hill into Mona Vale when it collided with a car just past the cemetery. He said that he saw one car totally burned out and another three involved in the crash. "There were four cars and only one person got out," he said. Former league legend Max Brown was on his way past that spot when he saw the thick black smoke. "I could see the cabin of the petrol tanker on its side and I could see one car burned out," the former Manly player said. The latest disaster is in almost the exact same spot from where a 13-year-old girl was killed when a truck ploughed into her home in 1998. Nicole Everson died when a runaway truck missed a corner on Mona Vale Rd and demolished her Emma St home. Wollongong father of four Silverio Garcia also died in the accident. Manly Police Superintendent Dave Darcy said the accident was one of the worst he has seen. "I don't think it gets much worse than this," he said. "This was a real challenge for all involved." He said people were pulling over and getting out of their cars in an attempt to flee the scene while the tanker was ignited. It is also believed the two deceased are males. The truck driver is a 47-year-old man from Wagga Wagga who suffered non life threatening injuries. One person, believed to be a woman, was airlifted to royal north shore hospital. Supt Darcy said many witnesses displayed acts of heroism during such a tragic accident. "There were people pulling others out of cars...some real acts of bravery," he said. "I believe they saved those people's lives, yes." Police are hopeful the road will be open by daylight tomorrow morning. Additional Documentation: Watch the Video At Least 2 People Killed Others Badly Injured after Tanker Truck Rollover Article: Toxic spill clean-up continues after fatal tanker crash at Mona Vale in Sydney's North Photo’s [14] At Least 2 People Killed Others Badly Injured after Tanker Truck Rollover
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