to a hazard spill on the Barrier Highway on Sunday morning
Staff from Fire and Rescue NSW Cobar
Station 256 have been praised for their
quick response to a call to help clean up a
hazardous material spill on Sunday morning.
On arrival at the Barrier Highway Truck
Stop just west of Cobar at around 10am,
crews found liquid leaking from a drum on a
truck parked at the rest area.
It was determined the substance was NButyl
Acetate which is hazardous to health
and the environment, and crews began securing
the area.
The highway was closed to traffic in both
directions as firefighters, in fully encapsulated
(airtight) suits and wearing breathing apparatus,
worked to contain the liquid.
The cause of the spillage over the truck and
also on to the roadway was found to be from
a hole in one of the drums onboard the truck.
The driver was alerted to the spill by the
smell of the substance filling his cabin when
he pulled over at the truck stop.
Crews were able to have the incident contained
and cleaned up within four hours with
help from a specialist HAZMAT crew from
Fire Rescue New South Wales Dubbo 280
Retained.
The Cobar brigade was also assisted by
Cobar Headquarters Rural Fire Brigade and a
Fire & Rescue NSW Station 406 Nyngan
crew.
One lane of traffic was opened just before
2pm and the Barrier Highway was completely
open and operating as normal just before
3pm.
