This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/29/one-person-killed-and-six-injured-in-melbourne-crash-explosion

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
One person killed and six injured in Melbourne crash explosion One person killed and six injured in Melbourne crash explosion
(35 minutes later)
One man has been killed and a woman injured in an explosion believed to have been triggered by a collision involving a truck and five cars in Melbourne’s west. One man has died after an explosion in the truck he was driving triggered a collision involving five cars in Melbourne’s west.
Police said two oxyacetylene cylinders may have exploded in the crash outside Drill Hall in Footscray about 11:55am on Tuesday. Police said they were assessing LPG cylinders in the back of the truck but were unclear about what had caused the explosion that left “a chaotic, unusual scene” at the intersection of Barkly and Gordon Streets in Footscray.
This is the scene. pic.twitter.com/iJgD7PiAsfThis is the scene. pic.twitter.com/iJgD7PiAsf
A building near the scene of the explosion has collapsed, a spokesman from the Melbourne fire brigade said. The driver of the truck, a man in his early 20s, was found dead at the scene. A woman in her late 30s was in a stable condition in hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Victoria police acting inspector Nigel L’Estrange said.
Two power lines were brought down in the smash which blew out the windows of surrounding properties and scattered debris around the site. Another four people involved in the crash were assessed by paramedics but not hurt.
Police have cut power to the area as a precaution. L’Estrange said the “significant blast” had occurred before the truck slammed into other cars on the busy street.
Current pics of carnage at #Footscray truck smash. @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/BOCN0SwfrxCurrent pics of carnage at #Footscray truck smash. @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/BOCN0Swfrx
A man was killed and a woman in her 30s who was standing nearby was in a stable condition in hospital after suffering minor injuries, a spokeswoman for Ambulance Victoria said. Nearby buildings had sustained damage from the shockwave, include one probably containing asbestos, he said.
Another four people near the crash were assessed by paramedics but not hurt. Two power lines were brought down in the smash, which blew out the windows of the surrounding quarter block and scattered debris around the site. The truck had been carrying rubbish, police said.
Truck accident moments ago at the corner of Gordon St & Barkly St #Footscray #westfootscray pic.twitter.com/YIxLLvIIQjTruck accident moments ago at the corner of Gordon St & Barkly St #Footscray #westfootscray pic.twitter.com/YIxLLvIIQj
An exclusion zone is in place and all houses on Barkly Street between Creswick and Gordon Streets have been evacuated, police said. An exclusion zone was put in place and 19 people from houses on Barkly Street between Creswick and Gordon streets were evacuated. Power was cut to the area as a precaution.
Fire alarms in the area were triggered and a number of Metropolitan fire brigade trucks are at the scene.
Artur Wydro, from the nearby Alan Mance car dealership on Barkly Street, said the windows of the building shook when the explosion occurred.Artur Wydro, from the nearby Alan Mance car dealership on Barkly Street, said the windows of the building shook when the explosion occurred.
“We all jumped, we thought it was a bomb or something,” he said.“We all jumped, we thought it was a bomb or something,” he said.
“We ran into the street and all we could see was white smoke, so we knew it was an explosion — if something was on fire the smoke would’ve been black or grey. “We ran into the street and all we could see was white smoke, so we knew it was an explosion — if something was on fire the smoke would have been black or grey.
“There was a white fog settling over the street, it was very scary. It looked like someone had thrown clothes all over the street.”“There was a white fog settling over the street, it was very scary. It looked like someone had thrown clothes all over the street.”