Tram News 16.11
Andy B
Saturday, November 16, 2002 12:42 PM
A fairly uneventful day, until time came for me to
go home.
Sometime around 16.30 or so, a large fire broke out
in a plumbing supplies shop in Glenhuntly Rd, about 200m from Glenhuntly
Depot. Police placed barricades at Hawthorn Rd and Bambra Rd, power was
shut off in between. Initially, Rt 67 services were to terminate at
Elsternwick (Hotham St & Brighton Rd), but by 17.30 drivers were instructed
to divert via Balaclava Rd, and then either be relieved at South Caulfield
Junction or layover at East Brighton. 3 trams became stuck in Glenhuntly
Rd on the up side of the fire: Z1.45, Z1.66 and another. At least two
trams were trapped on the down side: Z1.61 and Z3.184.
Any trams that end up being stabled outside the depot would most likely be
guarded by security overnight.
It became clear quickly that access to the depot
would not be easy, so the decision was made to send all run in cars to Malvern
depot. Some drivers did not know the road so instead stabled their trams
near Sth Caulfield Junction for other drivers to transport later. A number
of drivers worked overtime (myself included) to direct traffic, shunt/transport
trams, run shuttles, assist passengers, etc. Overtime was given generously
to the drivers who stayed back to assist, considering all had been working
anything up to 10 hours straight.
Trams stabled at Malvern as of 22.30: Z1.22.
Z1.46, Z1.68, Z1.69, Z1.78, Z1.89, Z1.90 (on loan from Mal), Z1.96, Z1.97 and
Z2.101. Transporting drivers were taken per car back to South
Caulfield/Glenhuntly as required.
Latest word is that the area will not re-open to
traffic until at least 10am Sunday, at this stage.
With regards to the fire: One GH driver was
related to one of the firefighters at the scene, it appears that the fire had
started in the air conditioning system. Being a plumbing supply store with
a lot of plastic, the place went up very quicky; everyone was evacuated
safely. The alarm was raised by an attendant working in the servo
opposite. Residents were asked to stay indoors, but many chose to
stickybeak and stood on the opposite footpath and in the servo.
(Amazing: toxic smoke, flames, danger of LPG tanks exploding.. and where
are they standing? In a bloody servo opposite!). Surrounding buildings
were not damaged, which included several homes, a picket fence company and a
brothel).
Cheers
Andy
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