Truck Catches Fire in Sydney Harbour Tunnel

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A truck recently caught fire obstructing Sydney Harbour Tunnel and backing up traffic on both ends. The freightliner truck caught fire on Wednesday afternoon last week. The incident caused traffic to be diverted and the tunnel to be closed for hours in both directions. After the fire broke out from the truck’s battery, the driver luckily managed to escape unharmed from the cab.

Read what the website, Fullyloaded.com.au had to say about the incident:

Traffic is banked up at both ends of the tunnel after a freightliner in the southbound lane caught on fire just after 4pm (AEDT) on Wednesday, activating a fire alarm and causing the closure of the tunnel.

A Transport Management Centre spokeswoman says motorists in the area are being diverted onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but there are extensive delays for northbound and southbound traffic.

There is also heavy traffic along the Gore Hill Freeway and the Eastern Distributor, with traffic queued more than three kilometres in each direction.

The Transport Management Centre has advised motorists to use the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or Anzac Bridge and Victoria Road as alternative routes.

Emergency services are on site, and there is no forecast for when the tunnel will reopen.

The driver managed to get himself out of the truck and is unhurt, a spokeswoman for Fire and Rescue NSW told AAP.

The fire started in the truck’s battery compartment, but the cause is still to be determined.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/truck-fire-closes-sydney-harbour-tunnel/story-e6frfku9-1226582150849#ixzz2LWi3DFS1

The cause of the fire was the truck’s battery but there are numerous situations that can result in a truck fire – including, flammable material resting against the exhaust or leakage of hot gases from the exhaust which can come into contact with flammable materials and igniting, over-tightened or poorly lubricated wheel bearings, rubbing tyres due to sagging wheel guards or draping hoses can heat up a tyre, dragging or overheated brakes can cause excessive hub temperature etc.

Although there are a number of reasons why trucks may catch fire, in addition to battery explosions, simple checks can help truckies avoid incidents such as this one.

Why do batteries explode, endangering the lives of drivers and putting the cargo at risk, not to mention causing huge traffic delays and diversions? During their operation, batteries produce and release hydrogen gas. If there is a make-break contact inside the battery, a spark can occur and the battery could explode.

Operators or truckies should check that metal parts cannot short-out batteries and ensure that suitable ventilation of batteries occurs. It is also advisable that regular battery inspection is conducted.

Truck mechanics advise operators to conduct simple checks regularly on the battery and other parts of the vehicle that may cause an explosion or fire, this would guard against this type of incident.  Also draw up an inspection checklist and have it actioned at each major service.  Also consider specifying a battery isolation switch and putting a well sized (2kg+) dry-chemical ?re extinguisher within the cabin so that it is easily accessible in the event of a fire so that damage to the vehicle and cargo is minimised, stopping the fire before it becomes out of hand.

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