IT was 3.16am when Rob Couchman got the alert.
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There was a truck on fire at the new service cetnre at the Nambucca Heads interchange.
Together with his crew from Nambucca Heads Fire and Rescue NSW, Capt Couchman was soon on site, as were crews from Macksville, Kempsey, HAZMAT from Coffs Harbour, police, ambulance and some RFS trucks.
“When we got there the two trailers were already engulfed, “Rob said.
“Apparently they were on fire when the truck drove in … it was a load of compressed foam insulation, so there was a lot of toxic smoke, which was heading east.”
He said crews donned their specialist breathing gear and using foam and water, extinguished the fire within about 30 minutes.
“The truck itself was not damaged, the driver managed to unhook it from the trailers,” Capt Rob said..
“There were no injuries and no major damage, just the disruption to traffic at the centre.”
He said investigations as to the cause would be carried out by the truck company’s insurer.
Hyland Park residents, who were some three kilometres away, said they heard a number of explosions and smelt the smoke, which one described as ‘gross’.