Two men have been injured, one critically, in a massive explosion in Melbourne's north that emergency workers say could easily have claimed lives.
The explosion in Aylward Avenue, Thomastown, just 300 metres from the local fire station, at about 12.30pm (AEDT), blew a large stainless steel storage tank 130 metres from the biodiesel refinery, damaging three cars, Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) spokesman John Taylor said.
"It was lucky there was no one driving past," he told AAP.
Ambulance Victoria paramedic group manager Tony Elliott said he was amazed there were only two casualties.
"It's incredible that more people weren't injured in the blast," Mr Elliott said.
"The vat landed about 100 metres up the street and steel pipes dropped on to cars, leaving an extensive trail of damage.
"Thankfully, no one in the street was hit by the flying debris."
A 75-year-old man, who was closest to the blast, suffered burns to about half his body.
"The man had apparently been welding a large cylinder-type vat estimated to be 10 to 20 metres tall," Mr Elliott said.
"For some reason there was an explosion. There was enough force in the blast to propel the cylinder a considerable distance up the road."
The man suffered upper body burns. Paramedics feared he could have burns to his airway that could affect his breathing.
"With that in mind, the man was placed into a coma and a breathing tube was fed down his airway so that paramedics could control his breathing," Mr Elliott said.
Paramedics applied specialist burns dressings and took the man to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition.
The second man was further from the blast but suffered minor injuries when the force of the explosion threw him to the ground.
The 69-year-old was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition.
Mr Taylor said there was no fire because any flames were snuffed out by the explosion.
Firefighters helped the paramedics give first aid, he said.
Mr Taylor said about five workers were at the factory at the time.
He said the tank contained a mixture of glycerol and methanol.
The explosion rattled the windows of the nearby fire station, he said.
Mr Taylor said the MFB officers who attended, including a scientific officer, determined the substances were not flammable.
The Environment Protection Authority, WorkSafe Victoria and the state's police were investigating, he said.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8100230/man-critical-after-factory-blast

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Reading through this and watching the video, the workers might have been welding on an empty tank and the vapors ignited. looking at the tank next to the vehicle, it was a good size tank.

Too bad there has to be injuries, doesn`t sound good for the 2 injured.


I watched the rest of the news video and then read through some of the other news. sounds like the same news, different country.

the one about the brawl at Kings Cross. I was there in 1964.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works