INVESTORS AND MEDIA 
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A truck packed with mine blasting material exploded while en route to Gruyere, leaving behind a metre deep crater. A new report breaks down what happened, and how it could have been prevented.
The October 2022 incident occurred between Kwinana and Gruyere mine along a stretch of the Great Central Road.
The tanker was loaded with ammonium nitrate emulsion (ANE), a substance used for blasting. It is believed that a loss of pressure in the trailer’s air supply line caused the brake system to overheat, which started a tyre fire as the truck travelled.
Noticing the black smoke, the driver stopped the truck and began to fight the blaze with both a dry and a chemical fire extinguisher. After a 14-minute struggle and no progress, the driver disconnected the trailer and drove away, contacting emergency services and setting up a barricade down the road.
Roughly two hours later, the tanker exploded.
"The ensuing blast left a 1m deep crater in the road and threw thousands of pieces of shrapnel across the surrounding area," the new report said.
"A 100kg piece of steel shrapnel was thrown around 413m from the blast site, while a 31kg piece of the trailer’s turntable was found 672m away."
Emergency services felt the explosion from 3km away.
Two other trucks carrying ANE have caught fire this year, one in New Norcia in June and another in Newman in August. While these fires were left to burn out after the drivers tried to extinguish them, the ANE did not explode.
Changes to the law
The investigation and subsequent report was spear-headed by WorkSafe Group and the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS).
"Our report contains 16 recommendations for industry, and everyone involved in transporting dangerous goods must understand their responsibilities," DMIRS chief dangerous goods officer Iain Dainty said.
"The explosion would not have occurred if the driver had been able to extinguish the fire, and there are practical measures to reduce such risks."
Recommendations include the use of automatic fire suppression systems for of vehicles transporting explosive goods, and pressurised foam or water-water fighting systems, which are more effective than dry or chemical for tyre fires.
As a result of the investigation, the State Government has directed the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) to introduce legislative amendments and develop a new Code of Practice to ensure the risk of such incidents is kept as low as possible.
