Tunnel Accident Blamed on Mobile Phone Call
A truck driver talking on his cell phone while driving may be responsible for a tunnel accident in Melbourne's Burnley tunnel, which claimed the lives of three other motorists. Local newspaper reports say that an inquest being held today will cite phone call records showing that the truck driver was using his phone just seconds before the accident which caused a fireball to erupt in the middle of the tunnel last month.
On March 23, 2007 just before 10am, a pile-up occurred in the tunnel involving three trucks and four cars. The crash resulted in an explosion and a subsequent fire which reached temperatures in excess of 1000 degrees Celsius according to Acting Metropolitan Fire Brigade Chief Officer Keith Adamson.
Three people died in the accident, including Australian Commonwealth games gold medal cyclist Damian McDonald. Approximately 400 people were advised by the tunnel's safety system to abandon their cars, to leave their keys in the ignition, and to evacuate the tunnel after the collision.
The reports suggest that the phone call came from the owner of the truck to the driver - who has been questioned by police over the matter. It is belived that he was distracted by the phone call and was did not notice a broken down truck ahead of him in the tunnel. If he is prosecuted and found guilty of culpable driving causing death he faces up to 20 years' jail."
Posted to the site on 16th April 2007