Freaky chain of events?

[Jim Goose]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-1...driver/3724464

Driver hurt in chaotic tanker explosion

Updated December 11, 2011 13:27:33
Map: Rowville 3178

Worksafe has revealed a bizarre chain of events led to a petrol tanker explosion in Melbourne's south-east that left the driver badly burned.

The 35-year-old driver was refuelling underground storage about 1:00am at a petrol station at the intersection of Wellington and Stud Roads in Rowville, when the fuel began to leak down a hill.

The fuel then somehow ignited, causing two cars to catch fire and explode, while a P-plate driver who witnessed the blasts crashed his car.

The fire then travelled back up to the petrol tanker causing it to burst into flames, burning the driver's arms and legs.

The driver is in the Alfred Hospital in a critical but stable condition.

Worksafe spokeswoman Lisa Sturzenegger says investigators are looking for an ignition source and analysing the weather conditions at the time.

"Last night, with the weather the way it was, there was lightning, there was rain," she said.

"That certainly assisted the fuel travelling down the hill, because of the rain. But we look at all angles, this is routine work and there are a number of safe practices that need to be adhered to."

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) spokesman Peter Shaw says the whole driveway was on fire.

"The risk was extremely high and we're very lucky that nobody else was injured," he said.

"For the people that were here it would have been a very traumatic and chaotic scene."

Mr Shaw says patrons of a nearby hotel had to be evacuated when burning fuel from the tanker spread, damaging several cars along the way.

"The fuel from the tanker was running down the driveway from the petrol station down into the driveway of the hotel," he said.

"That then went 100 metres down that driveway and it actually got to the point of burning the side of the building."

The Environment Protection Authority is also investigating whether any fuel has run into nearby waterways.

Traffic is expected to be affected for another four hours.

How bizzare indeed! Try explaining that to the insurance people?