At approx 1530hrs on
Tuesday, 10th
June 2008, Rivers Unit was
called out to attend the
site of a trailer fire in
the Canberra suburb of
Conder, where 3 acetylene
cylinders had been heated to
a dangerous level, and
become unstable. Parts of
Conder had to be evacuated
for fear of explosion.
Members from Rivers Unit,
along with volunteers from
Tuggeranong Unit, assisted
the Australian Federal
Police (AFP) in maintaining
a 200m exclusion zone around
the ACT Fire Brigade
controlled incident until
2200hrs (10pm), when those
crews were relieved.
The AFP had to be called to
assist the SES on a few
occasions, however, after a
couple of disaffected locals
unleashed their frustration
in harsh verbal attacks on
the hapless volunteers.
The incident, which was
closed at 1pm on 11th
June and included members
from police, fire, ambulance
as well as the SES, was an
excellent example of the
emergency services working
closely together to achieve
a good result.
