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Yet another tanker explosion: Australia this time.

TANKER INFERNO

Firerfighters do battle with the buring remains of a Corio truck yesterday. Photo: CHANNEL TEN

Thursday, April 29
ANDREW JEFFERSON, Ballarat Courier

A TRUCK driver with a Geelong transport firm escaped a massive fireball after his tanker loaded with 45,000 litres of fuel crashed near Daylesford yesterday.
Nearby residents were greeted at their back door by the desperately fleeing driver, who told them he heard a ``big bang'' before he lost control about 4.30am.

Flames from the fuel spill leapt 50 metres into the air and threatened the home of Peter and May Giacometti on the Daylesford-Ballan Road.

The driver, employed by Corio company Tri-Tanker Services Pty Ltd, miraculously escaped with only minor injuries.

The Hoppers Crossing man was treated at Daylesford Hospital and released later in the morning.

Mr Giacometti, whose nearby house was smoke-damaged, was shaken by the rude early-morning wake-up.

``I heard the truck rolling before there was this big `whoosh','' Mr Giacometti said.

``Then all the tyres started banging and the power pole exploded.

``I looked out of the front window and all I could see was flames.''

The B-double truck was still burning three hours later as firefighters made the decision to allow the fire to burn itself out.

Mr Giacometti said he and his wife May escaped through the back of the house where they were greeted by the fleeing tanker driver.

``He was running in through the backyard and he didn't appear hurt to me,'' Mr Giacometti said.

Police said the tanker, a BP distributor, was believed to be travelling from Geelong to Swan Hill carrying a mixture of petrol and diesel.

It is believed the driver lost control on a tight right-hand bend on the road at Sailors Falls.

Eighty volunteer firefighters were called out to control the fierce blaze.

Daylesford Fire Brigade Lieutenant Alistair Grant said crews used a grader to build an earth break around the tanker to prevent the fire from spreading.

Firefighters also managed to prevent fuel from the tanker into a nearby creek.