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Remarkable footage captured by CCTV inside Burnley Tunnel reveals a dramatic incident involving a fuel tanker and a Mitsubishi Pajero. The tanker, seemingly unaware of the vehicle in its path, attempted to switch to the left outbound lane around 9:15 p.m.
As the tanker made its move, the Pajero became wedged between the truck and the tunnel wall, causing a flurry of sparks and debris. The situation escalated quickly, with both vehicles coming to a sudden stop as the tanker hit the brakes.
Emergency services arrived on the scene within minutes, and astonishingly, there were no physical injuries reported. The accident, however, brought traffic to a halt, necessitating the use of heavy machinery to disentangle the two vehicles and clear the tunnel.
Emergency services were on scene within minutes. Amazingly no one was physically hurt.
Traffic was brought to a standstill as heavy machinery was brought in to separate the two vehicles and remove them from the tunnel.
Toll road operator Transurban says it monitors the tunnel around the clock and had its crews on scene within four minutes.
While crash rates in tunnels are relatively low, research shows drivers often “respond differently in enclosed environments”, Transurban said.
“That’s why we’re encouraging motorists to avoid unnecessary lane changes in tunnels and high-speed areas,” a spokesperson said.
“It’s a simple behaviour that can make a real difference in preventing serious incidents.”
The driver of the truck received a penalty infringement notice for performing an unsafe lane change.