By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In a statement released last Tuesday, Victoria Police said that the cause of the collisions \u201cappears to be due to heavy fog in the area and drivers not driving to the conditions\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cDue 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,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.\u201d<\/p>\n
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson told the Moorabool News that paramedics \u201cresponded to several multi-vehicle incidents in Myrniong\u201d, 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.<\/p>\n
Two men involved in separate collisions were hospitalised in a critical condition.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Benjie Stark was one of the locals who got stuck in the aftermath, and said it was \u201cthe most intensive, large-scale accident I\u2019ve ever seen\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy 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,\u201d Mr Stark said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokesperson from the Department of Transport and Planning said the main accident was \u201cat Pentland Hills Road near the exit there\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were some other minor collisions that also occurred in other locations, but police didn\u2019t give us specifics of those because they weren\u2019t blocking traffic completely. But the big one that had the most vehicles involved was at Myrniong,\u201d the spokesperson told the Moorabool News.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n