General News
22 January, 2025
Truckie’s lucky escape after rig goes up in flames
Emergency services were called to the scene on the Landsborough Highway late last Wednesday.
A truck driver had a narrow escape after the semi-trailer he was operating became engulfed in flames about 30km east of Kynuna.
The driver told locals at the Blue Heeler Hotel that he was carrying large concrete slabs for bridge repairs in the Gulf when he saw flames roaring around his truck cab on Wednesday, January 15. The quick-thinking driver said he pulled his vehicle slightly off the Landsborough Highway before leaping from the truck.
He reported to locals the entire cab was engulfed by flames within seconds of him leaping to safety.
The driver escaped unharmed and was able to alert emergency services who received the triple zero call just after 8pm and travelled more than 130km from Winton to arrive at the scene just after 9.30pm.
The truck was still alight when fire crews arrived on site. There was also a small grass fire beside the vehicle. Crews had extinguished the fire by 10.15pm but remained at the scene until midnight to monitor the area.
Paramedics assessed the unharmed driver who declined to be transported to hospital for any further monitoring.
A small section of the highway was sectioned off for the following few days as plans were made to transport the burnt-out truck away from the roadside.
“It appears to be a non-suspicious fire and there were no persons injured,” a police spokesperson told North West Weekly.