An elderly male driver was taken to hospital last Saturday after his car collided with the front of a house in Rutherford. Firefighters arrived to find the car had crashed into the meter box, presenting an extremely dangerous scene due to the risk of electrocution. They were successful in isolating power to the house before attending to the driver. An ambulance rescue crew was required to shore up the front of the house to prevent structural collapse.
On Monday evening, multiple crews worked feverishly to extinguish the fire at the Abermain Weston Hawks clubhouse. The fire started in bins at the rear of the premises and quickly spread to the building. Firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the building with hose lines in an attempt to extinguish the blaze. Despite their efforts, the clubhouse had suffered major damage by the time the fire was brought under control. Operations proved difficult, with water having to be pumped a long distance from the nearest hydrant.
It has been a tough week for Hunter firefighters, with crews attending several fatal motor vehicle accidents and fires. Although trained to work under stressful and dangerous conditions, fatalities are part of the job that can emotionally difficult to deal with for all emergency service workers.
A reminder that from September 1, motorists must slow down to 40km/h when passing a stationary emergency vehicle with blue or red flashing lights.
