Hydraulic hose failure leads to dump truck fire
Summary of incident
A dump truck operating at an open pit mine caught fire when a hose-end fitting separated on a singlewire reinforced hydraulic hose. Oil sprayed onto hot engine components in the engine bay and ignited. The operator stopped the truck when steering was lost and the brake applied automatically due to fluid loss.
The dump truck was not shut-down in accordance with the recommended procedures. The truck had no fire-suppression system, and flames and thick black smoke prevented escape down the normal access ladder.
The operator tried to access the vertical emergency ladder but pushed rather than pulled the gate and could not exit. The operator returned to the cab and called on the two-way radio for urgent assistance. The operator exited the vehicle by climbing over the rail and down the vertical emergency ladder while another person directed a fire extinguisher at the flames.
Last Updated: 31/05/2020 07:23:50pm