WIRE BARRIERS IMPACT RESPONSE TO CAR FIRE

At 5.45 last evening, Woodend and Carlsruhe CFA were called to a car on fire on the Calder Freeway.
When Woodend Pumper arrived on scene, the vehicle was on south bound side of freeway, while the truck was on north bound side. The vehicle was in the emergency lane and fully involved with significant flame from the engine and under the vehicle. Dark smoke was emanating from the cabin.
Due to the involvement and proximity to the grass on the edge of the freeway Woodend Lieutenant Steve Ritchie made the decision to set up the pumper on the north bound side and run a line across the wire barriers to the south bound lanes to attack the fire. Police were on scene and he requested they stop the traffic on the south bound lanes … which they did.
Carlsrhue arrived on the south bound side and set up. Lt Ritchie allowed them to then take over and removed the Pumper hose and packed up the pumper, allowing one lane of the freeway to be opened again. The freeway was blocked for approx. 15 – 20 minutes.
The wire barriers impacted his decision as we would have had to travel up another 3-4km to the emergency crossing to turn to come back on the southbound side. He though time was on the essence and hence made the decision to attack from the north bound lane.
Whilst the wire barriers obviously do assistant in helping to save lives, they also can cause serious and significant delays in other emergency responses.