Not a good day at the office for this truck-driver
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325809)
Rockingham, Australia
November 4, 2022 1:30am CST
Much of Australia’s outback is very sparsely populated which was a good thing back on October 24. A truck-driver hauling a trailer laden with ammonium nitrate emulsion had a lucky escape when one of the trailer’s wheels caught fire. He was able to uncouple the trailer and drive a safe distance before the fire ignited the emulsion which is used in mine site blasting.
The blast occurred in WA’s Great Victoria Desert about 1,000 kilometres east of Perth. The blast created a hole 2 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep. The shock wave was felt at the mine site some 40 kilometres away.
It was fortunate the accident took place in an isolated area. The photo is from Facebook.
20 people like this
16 responses
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
4 Nov 22
It appeared as though an atomic bomb had just exploded nearby. I suppose you would expect a mushroom-like explosion given the items it was transporting, and the shockwave was quite large. As you noted, it was fortunate that the explosion occurred in a remote area without any infrastructure nearby.
5 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4 Nov 22
@JudyEv Then the town would have been waay out back...
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325809)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Nov 22
@BarBaraPrz Yes, blown to smithereens, no doubt.
3 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (86754)
• United States
9 Nov 22
@JudyEv There was something like that here a couple years ago Judy..it was absolutely horrifying. He could not stop the trucker and killed 4 people. He was sentenced to 110 years though it was an accident..yes that is 110 years..the Colorado governor lowered his sentence to 10 years though.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325809)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Nov 22
@RebeccasFarm That sounds a bit tough if it was a genuine accident.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (13321)
• Hong Kong
4 Nov 22
Wow, that was scary. Indeed, it was fortunate that it happened in an isolated area.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (169966)
• United States
4 Nov 22
How did he get rescued? Was his cell working in that isolated area? Did someone see the blast and call authorities?
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95188)
• Marion, Ohio
4 Nov 22
That would be a very scary thing. Happy he got away.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
5 Nov 22
That driver is lucky he escaped from all that, WOW that looks so dangerous, You are right good that it happened in an isolated area,
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99399)
• Canada
4 Nov 22
Wow that is scary. Glad he was able to escape safely.
1 person likes this
@Kouponkaren (5487)
• United States
7 Nov 22
Gosh, that is scary and I am glad he is alright. Good for him for being able to uncouple and drive away. I think I would have just gotten out and run away.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325809)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 22
He probably needed to drive to get far enough away from the blast. I imagine that, after such a blast, there would have been a lot of shrapnel flying quite a distance.
