Petrol Tanker Rolls

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 1

Petrol Tanker Rolls

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 13. “Here we go, Ron, this is it,” a man shouted to his mate as the 1000-gallon petrol tanker they were driving rolled 25 feet over a bank in Taylors road, Waimauku, this morning.

Seconds later, with 750 gallons of petrol and 80 gallons of diesel oil leaking away only inches from them, the two men pushed and pulled each other from the damaged tanker to escape with minor injuries. The vehicle, which was damaged about the front, landed on its wheels. It took two tow-trucks and a bulldozer to haul it up the steep bank on to the road this afternoon. The two men, Mr C. J. Dreaver, aged 22, of Notley street, Westmere, and Mr R. Preston, aged 23, of Dunkirk terrace, Albert, were

making deliveries to farms in the area when the accident happened. “We had just changed over and Ron was driving at the time," said Mr Dreaver tonight. “We were doing about 20 miles an hour and had moved right over to the left to allow a truck to pass in the narrow road.

“Suddenly, the road gave way beneath us. I felt the truck begin to roll and I shouted to Ron, ‘here we go Ron, this is it.’ “We turned over once and the truck landed on its wheels. Ron and I were upside down, with the seats and various bits of stuff on top of us.

“Ron finally managed to turn around and push me loose with his boot and I helped pull him out “We grabbed the fire extinguisher in case we needed it

“The air was thick with petrol fumes. We knew there was a pretty good chance she would go up with a bang so we tried to get the battery leads off' in case they shorted.

“But when we began loosening them sparks began flying so we stopped that smartly.” Mr Dreaver ran about three-quarters of a mile along the road to a house, where he telephoned for assistance. Later the two men stopped vehicles on the road and warned drivers of the potential danger from the leaking tanker.