General News
4 February, 2024
"Serious" incident at Kenmare
A 63-year-old St Arnaud man was airlifted to hospital earlier this week after the B-double he was driving ran off the road on a tight corner, leaving him with serious injuries.
A 63-year-old St Arnaud man was airlifted to hospital earlier this week after the B-double he was driving ran off the road on a tight corner, leaving him with serious injuries.
The fully-loaded gypsum truck was travelling from Rainbow to St Arnaud, via Beulah, when it is believed the rear trailer hit the edge of the narrow road, pulling the A-trailer and prime mover off the side of the road and tipping the 60-tonne transport onto its side.
The tray of the B-trailer separated from the chassis, with the hydraulic ram breaking off and landing some metres away; the transport skidded approximately 110 metres on its side before coming to a stop.
Emergency services were called to the incident at the corner of Boundary Road on the Rainbow-Birchip Road just after 4.30pm on Tuesday.
Warrracknabeal SES, Ambulance Victoria, and CFA units from Werrup, Kenmare and Rainbow, worked together to extract the driver from the cab through the sunroof.
He was stabilised on scene until the air ambulance arrived to transport him to Ballarat Base Hospital with serious head injuries and suspected internal injuries.
Beulah, Speed and Dimboola police, along with Ararat Highway Patrol, were on scene to assist and control traffic.
Beulah's Leading Senior Constable Shane Riggall said the cause of the crash was under investigation by Melbourne's Heavy Vehicle Unit due to the serious nature of the incident.