On 24 October 2022, a tanker trailer carrying an ammonium nitrate emulsion (ANE) caught fire then exploded on the Great Central Highway, approximately 150 kilometres east of Laverton.
The road train consisted of a prime mover, a dolly and two aluminium tanker trailers containing approximately 34 tonnes (rear trailer) and 27 tonnes (front trailer) of ANE.
At approximately 9:30 am the driver noticed black smoke coming from the rear trailer. The driver stopped and attempted to extinguish a fire on the rear passenger side wheels of the rear trailer using two nine kilogram dry powder extinguishers and a nine litre water extinguisher. Due to the intensity of the fire, the driver was unsuccessful.
The driver disconnected the dolly and rear tanker trailer and evacuated to a safe distance. Emergency services and the mine site emergency response team attended the incident scene at a safe distance and cordoned off the roads.
At 11:33 am, the tanker exploded. The explosion caused several spot fires around the site. No one was injured.
Read the Ammonium nitrate emulsion tanker trailer exploration: Incident investigation report