A 37-year-old truck driver has escaped uninjured after his triple road train went up in flames in the Pilbara.
Police said due to an unknown fault the moving vehicle started slowing down on its own on Marble Bar Road, about 40 kilometres north of Newman, this morning.
When the driver stopped and got out to investigate, the left-hand side of the vehicle was on fire.
The driver attempted to extinguish the blaze, unsuccessfully, with the assistance of other motorists.
Police said the blaze gutted the truck, burnt nearby bushland and caused extensive road damage.
Newman Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service members attended the scene along with police and Main Roads officers.
It took authorities several hours to clear the road.
The truck was carrying sand for a nearby quarry.
Newman police said the driver was shocked and shaken but not injured
K.J.
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From Coast to Coast, We'll see it all.......One Day
We followed a truck with a wheel bearing fire & after stopping him, he unhitched to save the rig, but the load was destroyed. Apparently this is the most common cause of truck fires. We purchased a infra red heat gun & when swapping drivers when towing our van & hubby found a bearing was hotter than the rest, so changed all the bearings. Its amazing how many cars catch fire.
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Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store or under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends.
Yeah - overheating/overheated wheel bearings are a genuine problem - even if a fire does not eventuate. If it destroys itself, ya stuck anyway.
One of my 'routines' every time I stop for any reason is to firstly do the rounds of the wheels on the van - check appearance of tyres and put hand on wheel hubs to feel for any heat. Wheel bearings/hubs/brakes in good nick should not have any heat.
I also check all connections twixt van and tug and have a gander underneath the van.
The other critical thing is preventative maintenance - regular and thorough servicing. That old saying - A stitch in time saves nine.
Cheers - John
-- Edited by rockylizard on Monday 17th of August 2015 09:40:24 PM
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
I agree totally with Jim - when we leave our overnight stay, we stop within the 1st 15-30 mins (depending on where we can find somewhere to stop). While the BOSS checks inside the 'van to make sure all is secure and the fridge/freezer is on from the tow vehicle power, I walk around the van and visually inspect it, then make a 2nd walk and feel the hubs and tyres as well as the hitch and electrical connections to the tow vehicle. Then I empty out the coffee I drank a few hours earlier lol. Bought one of those infra-red heat detectors from Auldi - keep forgetting to use it
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
