Updated
Paramedics have taken two people to hospital, after a disused underground fuel tank exploded at Eastwood in Sydney's north-west.
The NSW Ambulance Service says both are in a stable condition with minor injuries, while several others are being assessed for possible hearing loss after the explosion on Ryedale Avenue.
Norman Buckley from Fire and Rescue NSW says a number of homes and businesses have been damaged.
"That explosion has not resulted in any fire, however there's been some structural damage to some surrounding buildings, a mixture of residential and also businesses as well," he said.
"Now we've got fire engines down there on scene now. Ambulance officers are there as well. They've treated some residents and passers by as well for some injuries."
Fire crews say the blast blew out the top floor windows of a three-storey building.
They say the explosion occurred as workmen were attempting to remove the underground tank.
The workmen have been accounted for, and Mr Buckley says it is incredible they have not been badly injured.
"I've been doing this now for 37 years and, I mean, I'm just looking at it (the tank) and looking at the surrounding damage. [The workers are] incredibly lucky," he said.
Mr Buckley says the disused 20,000 litre fuel tank is wedged between two commercial premises on Blaxland Road.
He says it was buried about four metres underground and was exposed when the workers used an excavator to remove the concrete slab covering it.
Sheree Madden, a dental receptionist working on nearby Blaxland Road, says she heard a loud explosion about 200 metres away.
"This place actually shook and now there's horrendous traffic outside. Stay away if you can," she told ABC News 24 shortly after the explosion.
"[Our building] did shake quite a bit but nothing was damaged."
Topics: disasters-and-accidents, eastwood-2122, nsw
First posted
No comments:
Post a Comment