Motor vehicle accident in Smithfield
Published: 3rd March 2004
A truck carrying 40 two hundred litre drums of Acetone, a busload of year 11 school children and five cars were involved in a motor vehicle accident at Woodpark Rd, Smithfield today. Crews from Smithfield and Merrylands fire stations attended the accident.
Firefighters from Smithfield Fire Station assisted a fleet of ambulances and the Ambulance Rescue Unit with the management of large numbers of casualties. A total of 25 people were transported to three hospitals, suffering various injuries.
Fortunately, none of the Acetone drums had ruptured and there was no spill as a result of the impact. However, one of the drums fell off the truck.
Firefighters enlisted the assistance of the NSW Ambulance Rescue Unit to winch the 200L drum of Acetone on the roadway onto the back of a ute belonging to a transport company.
The south bound lanes of the Cumberland Highway were closed with extensive diversions put in place by police causing long traffic delays.