A TRUCK driver had a lucky escape after the hay he was transporting on a B-double caught fire near Sea Lake on Wednesday.
The truck fire occurred near the corner of the Calder Highway and Patchewollock-Sea Lake Road, in Ninda, approximately 13 kilometres from Sea Lake.
Sea Lake Fire Brigade captain Paul Allan said the vehicle was travelling along the Calder Highway when a passer-by flagged down the driver.
“The whole truck (tray) was engulfed and the hay on the trailer was engulfed,” Capt Allan said.
“The prime mover was undamaged.”
Capt Allan said the driver was unaware the truck and hay were on fire.
“It was fully engulfed so he was able to unhook the trailer,” Capt Allan said.
“Then we had to extinguish and unload the trailers and clean up the Calder Highway.”
Capt Allan said it initially took fire crews from Sea Lake, Nandaly, Lascelles, Turriff and Speed six hours to contain the fire.
He said private bulk water tanker owners, Buloke Shire Council tankers and farmers provided a combined more than 46,000 litres of water to put out the fire.
A front loader was also brought in to unload the hay, while police and VicRoads also attended the incident to divert traffic.
Capt Allan said the fire was contained within a 50-metre squared area of the incident.
He said they estimated there was about 45 hay bales on the truck at the time.
CFA were initially called to the incident around 4.16pm.
“Then we’ve been called out there three times since to do more blackouts,” Capt Allan said.
Three crews returned to the scene for a grass fire at 11.10pm on Wednesday.
They were also called in at 9.30am yesterday to the Calder Highway in Bimbourie.
Capt Allan said he was unsure what caused the fire.
