Fog causes freeway chaos

By Lachlan Ellis

Thick fog that blanketed much of the state led to several car accidents on the Western Freeway last week, with the road closed for over eight hours as a result.

Police say that approximately 30 vehicles were involved in six collisions at around 4 pm on Monday 11 December, with the main collision Ballarat-bound near Myrniong.

In a statement released last Tuesday, Victoria Police said that the cause of the collisions “appears to be due to heavy fog in the area and drivers not driving to the conditions”.

“Due to the reduced visibility in the area police are urging motorists to slow down, drive to the conditions and take note of any road safety signage in the area,” the statement read.

“Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.”

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson told the Moorabool News that paramedics “responded to several multi-vehicle incidents in Myrniong”, with the injured ranging from their 20s to their 70s. The injured were transported to a range of hospitals including Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital, St John of God Ballarat Hospital, Sunshine Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Western Hospital Footscray.

Two men involved in separate collisions were hospitalised in a critical condition.

The series of crashes meant that the Western Freeway was closed in both directions, with some motorists reporting being stuck on the freeway for hours.

Benjie Stark was one of the locals who got stuck in the aftermath, and said it was “the most intensive, large-scale accident I’ve ever seen”.

“My son and I swerved into the emergency lane seconds after the first crash, as we moved over a red truck on the side ran into a white Pajero, we jumped out and ran down the hill as multiple crashes were heard, cars and trucks travelling upwards of 90km/h hitting stopped vehicles. It was like watching those US shows in the snow when new cars just keep crashing into stopped ones,” Mr Stark said.

“As the traffic finally built up, we could hear more crashes on the other side of the freeway. I counted 14 cars and trucks either very damaged or totalled spread over a couple hundred metres.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Transport and Planning said the main accident was “at Pentland Hills Road near the exit there”.

“There were some other minor collisions that also occurred in other locations, but police didn’t give us specifics of those because they weren’t blocking traffic completely. But the big one that had the most vehicles involved was at Myrniong,” the spokesperson told the Moorabool News.

“We were notified just after 4 pm that the freeway was going to have to be closed, and we were notified that it was reopening at 12.10 am, just over eight hours later.”

According to CFA, 12 units were required from Ballan, Gordon, Myrniong, Coimadai, Bacchus Marsh, Greendale and Blackwood, with Myrniong the first on the scene after the call was made at 3.53 pm.