A BURNT-OUT petrol tanker remains on the Mitchell Highway between Bathurst and Orange following an overnight fire.
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Multiple triple-0 calls were received to the incident at 10.49pm with reports of a petrol tanker alight.
Fire and Rescue NSW Station Officer Sandy Collins said firefighting crews along with the NSW Rural Fire Service, police and ambulance were called to the scene.
“The whole front of the cabin was well alight and beginning to impinge on the actual tanker,” he said.
There were a lot of explosions and that was the tyres exploding. It had the potential to be a dangerous situation.
- Fire and Rescue NSW Station Officer Sandy Collins
“There were a lot of explosions and that was the tyres exploding. It had the potential to be a dangerous situation.”
The truck was carrying thousands of litres of fuel, with two of its four tanks full.
“One burnt away and the diesel fuel burnt, the other one was saved,” Station Officer Collins said.
“The whole prime mover was completely destroyed.”
Station Officer Collins said the driver of the westbound truck stopped the vehicle at The Rocks.
“The driver was able to pull his vehicle over and stop and get out,” he said.
The driver was not injured during the incident.The Mitchell Highway was closed in both directions for three house following the blaze, and as of Tuesday morning one westbound lane remained closed.
Station Officer Collins said the fuel company would attend the site later on Tuesday for salvage operations.
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