Just after 5pm on Sunday the 5th of October multiple calls were coming in for a large column of thick black smoke north of the Princes Freeway on Rix Road Officer.
When Capt Garry Barnes and his crews arrived on scene from Officer brigade they found sections of the local scrap metal yard well alight. A quick call for "Make pumpers 3 & Dandenong Ladder Platform" was decided upon as an unknown quantity of Gas & LPG bottles were venting and burning within the rubble.
Police closed down local roads to allow the twin 65mm hoselay to be laid onto the property. Without the owner being present crews worked cautiously with the Ladder Platform from above as it was quite hard to be sure just what was actually alight.
An Alert was sent out to local residents to inform them of just what was burning and if it would present any dangers locally.
Local Council Bylaws officer attended to ensure the site would be assessed at a later date. As daylight disappeared Dandenong Ladder Platform packed up to leave and tankers were going to be used with hand hose lines to finish up blacking out.
Supporting brigades were from Pakenham, Beaconsfield, Berwick and Dandenong.
Author: Keith Pakenham