Three dead in massive fireball after truck carrying ammonium nitrate explosives slams into car and blows up near Auski Roadhouse on WA’s Great Northern Highway
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At least three people are dead after a truck carrying a dangerous mining explosives slammed into a car – incinerating both – in outback Western Australia.
The prime mover truck, which was was carrying ammonium nitrate, collided with a car igniting a lethal chemical fire in the Pilbara region of outback WA.
The accident happened on the Great Northern Highway at Karijini, about 20km south of the Auski roadhouse on Tuesday afternoon.
Police were unable to examine the scene because of the fire’s extreme heat.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said at least three people are believed to have died.
A prime mover truck, which was was carrying ammonium nitrate, collided with a car igniting a lethal chemical fire in the Pilbara region of outback WA. There were no survivors
A 2km exclusion zone was set up around the crash site after a truck carrying ammonium nitrate slammed into a car on an outback WA highway, killing at least three people
A 2km exclusion zone was set up around the crash site and to protect the public and emergency services workers.
Commissioner Blanch said there were ‘no survivors’ and described the scene as ‘a difficult road’.
‘This is something that we consistently and constantly as police remind drivers out there to be careful.
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‘Pay attention and remember that every day you’ve got to be aware of what’s going on around you.’
EmergencyWA issued a general HAZMAT warning on Wednesday.
‘A truck on Great Northern Highway is on fire, resulting in potentially dangerous smoke.’
The truck is thought to have been carrying a significant quantity of ammonium nitrate, a white crystalline salt.
It is widely used in fertilisers and is the main component in many types of mining explosives.
When mixed with oxygen, oil and other fuels it becomes dangerously combustible.
The tragedy is the third such accident involving the transportation of ammonium nitrate in WA this year.
‘Crews are undertaking a further assessment,’ a Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said on Wednesday.
‘Department of Fire and Emergency Services officers and volunteer firefighters are at the scene and the State Emergency Service have been deployed to assist with welfare.’
Major crash detectives will attend the scene once the area is safe.
It is unclear when the road will reopen.
