In a post on the Cobram Fire Brigade’s Facebook page in the early hours of Saturday morning, Cobram captain Matt Dehne said the Cobram and Tocumwal tankers were involved in burnovers – which he described as the “most dangerous situations firefighters can face on the fireground”.
Mr Dehne said both tankers issued mayday calls as fire impacted their vehicles.
“Thanks to the outstanding training received by all CFA and RFS members, both crews correctly implemented burnover procedures, actions that ultimately saved lives,” he said.
“We were incredibly fortunate to have air support on scene, which was able to drop water over the tankers.
“As a result, all crew members walked away with nothing more than some shock — and one hell of a story to tell.
“After being given the all-clear, both crews quickly swung back into action.
“As captain, I am immensely proud of the Cobram crew and how they handled such an extremely dangerous situation. I could not be prouder.
“Ex-captain Adrian Hilder was the crew leader at the time, and it was his quick thinking, training, and decisive actions that helped save the lives of both the Cobram and Tocumwal tanker crews.”
14°C