One man is dead and one woman injured after a truck collided with five cars and exploded in a horrific accident in Footscray, causing chaotic scenes in Melbourne’s inner west.
The truck was carrying gas bottles and exploded on the corner of Barkly and Gordon Streets just before midday.
The force of the blast took down two live power lines, blew out the windows of nearby houses, and caused the roof of a nearby building to collapse.
Acting Inspector Nigel L’Estrange said it appeared an explosion happened before the truck crashed.
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“It’s one vehicle that the explosion has occurred in,” he said
“It has impacted on a couple of other vehicles that were nearby, with a couple of injuries there as well.
“The explosion we believe has occurred prior to the collision.”
Debris littered the road, as MFB and police cordoned off the intersection.
A woman in her 30s, who was a pedestrian, was treated by paramedics and taken to the Western Hospital in a stable condition, an Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said.
Investigators were still determining the cause of the explosion, but it was believed the truck was carrying oxyacetylene cannisters, police said.
Onlookers have been moved away and nearby residents evacuated as a precaution, amid fears there could be further gas explosions.
Barkly Street is closed to traffic, with police urging people to avoid the area.
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