The Brisbane Times reports:Tony Moore October 23, 2008 - 9:57AM
The driver of a tip truck has narrowly escaped electrocution after 33,000-volt power lines fell across his truck at an abandoned mill south of Ipswich this morning.
Driver trapped in his truck after
snagging a high voltage electrical
wire at Redbank this morning.
The driver has been removed safely from the truck by emergency service crews after an excavator, working at the Redbank Woollen Mills site in River Road at Redbank, is believed to have brought down the power lines about 9am.
The tip truck had just dumped a load of soil on the site and was moving forward when the tipper of the truck got caught in the power lines, according to Emergency Management Queensland.
"The driver did the right thing and stayed in the cab," an EMQ spokesman said.
"The power line was not broken, it was just caught by the tipper."
About 2000 homes and businesses in the area have been left without power, however provider Energex expected services to be restored within the hour.
Three emergency vehicles are at the scene, with ambulance crews in attendance.
Local councillor Paul Tully, who arrived at the scene at 9.30am witnessed the driver being safely removed from the tip truck, averting potential tragedy."They have just pulled him out of the truck," Cr Tully said.
"There was a big cheer from the driver's fellow workers when he emerged unscathed from the cabin of his truck."
The driver walks free after his
45 minute scare trapped in
the cabin of his truck.
Council is investigating claims the site is being used for illegal dumping, Cr Tully said.
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