Update 12pm 16 July Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) remains at Derrimut today following last week's factory fire with a small number of personnel and appliances on scene. RPAS (remote piloted aircraft systems) drones continue to monitor the incident for thermal changes as several hotspots continue to burn. Overall, the site is continuing to display a cooling trend. FRV crews have been unable to access some parts of the site due to ongoing concerns about structural integrity and contamination. Our priority continues to be making the scene safe. A safety exclusion zone was established on the outer perimeter of adjoining properties; however, neighbouring businesses have been cleared by FRV to return. Update 4.15pm 12 July Approximately 20 firefighters and 5 appliances continue to be on scene in Derrimut. The incident remains Under Control but there are still hotspots in inaccessible areas due to structural integrity and site contamination concerns. Over the next 24 hours, FRV crews will continue to suppress hotspots and take the heat out of locations that are still burning. Atmospheric monitoring continues today and our RPAS (remote piloted aircraft systems) drones are flying over the incident to provide valuable intelligence. FRV fire investigators are working with WorkSafe and Victoria Police, there is no indication at this time the fire was suspicious. Given the nature of the incident and potential exposure risks, prioritising the health of firefighters and other attending staff is essential. A team of specialists, including FRV medical and safety officers, are working with the Incident Management Team (IMT) to assess the health and wellbeing of firefighters and monitor any ongoing effects. FRV Health will be contacting all employees who attended the incident to ensure they are well, and to identify and treat any symptoms if they occur and to offer a confidential and voluntary health check. Some appliances, including pumpers and a ladder platform, are inaccessible due to hazards related to structural integrity and wastewater management. FRV Deputy Commissioner Josh Fischer said authorities will remain at the scene for days, if not weeks, and FRV will continue to work with partner organisations such as the EPA and WorkSafe. “This is a complex and dangerous environment, there are a lot of hazards associated with this incident so we’re taking extreme caution and care as we manage those risks for our firefighters from the time of the incident and into the future,” Deputy Commissioner Fischer said. “Firefighting is a strenuous activity, particularly over a long duration wearing breathing apparatus in hot environments and stressful conditions.” “This was a massive, well-coordinated team effort to bring this incident Under Control in just over four hours with no impact to adjoining buildings in terms of fire spread.” “A special thanks to our firefighters, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service. In Victoria we work as one in the emergency management sector, and we are well supported by our partner agencies.” Deputy Commissioner Fischer reiterated FRV’s thanks to all emergency responders and partner organisations including Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, VICSES, EPA, Melbourne Water, WorkSafe and local government.Update 5.22pm Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) remains on scene and will continue to monitor the incident for spot fires. There are several hotspots still active which cannot be accessed due to the structural collapse and FRV will wait for demolition works to commence in order to completely extinguish the blaze. Approximately 60 firefighters and 12 appliances remain at the scene. Multiple trucks have been cleaned and removed from the site and more appliances and equipment will be cleaned over the next few days. FRV will maintain a presence alongside partner agencies until the incident is handed over which is expected to take place in a couple of days.A community advice warning for surrounding suburbs to stay informed, issued on Thursday morning, remains active. Fire Rescue Victoria Deputy Commissioner Community Safety Joshua Fischer said that due to successful firefighting efforts, nearby businesses would be allowed to return on a case-by-case basis. DC Fischer said: “Significant progress has been made overnight by Fire Rescue Victoria with support from our colleagues in the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service who provided additional aviation firefighting tenders to deliver bulk water and foam on the fire. “In excess of 3 million litres of water and 40,000 litres of foam has been used to suppress this fire. “There are still road closures in place and a current ‘Watch and Act’ in place for the same area issued yesterday.” DC Fischer said the exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation. “Our FRV fire investigators, together with Victoria Police and WorkSafe are undertaking that investigation and it is ongoing,” he said. “It is going to take some time to ascertain the exact cause and we also need to gain access to the scene which is an active fire area with lots of contaminants and structural integrity issues of the remaining building. “This is challenging and dynamic environment. For FRV this is our first seventh alarm, so this is a significant incident.” DC Fischer paid tribute to the multi-agency response, with support provided by the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service, CFA, VICSES, Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria. “In Victoria, in the emergency management sector we work as one, in a large co-ordinated effort. There is a long list of supporting agencies such as the EPA, local government and Melbourne Water,” he said. “I really want to thank all the first responders, particularly our firefighters, working in the most dangerous conditions as you saw from the footage yesterday with explosions and debris falling onto the fire impact area.” DC Fischer said in addition to continuing to suppress the fire and managing the atmosphere and surrounding environment, a key focus was on firefighter well-being. There have been no reported major injuries. FRV advises that businesses in Swann Circuit and Bliss Court must remain closed tonight. FRV does not want people exposed to the wastewater and toxic smoke, and they cannot return until it is safe to do so. FRV will provide further advice to the community after 6AM tomorrow. Avoid contact with water at Cherry Creek, Anderson’s Swamp and Kayes Drain, Derrimut Firewater has entered Cherry Creek, Anderson’s Swamp and Kayes Drain due to the industrial fire. Avoid contact with the water (including pets) downstream of the fire location until further notice. Odours may be observed in the area. Avoid areas where odours occur. Fire Rescue Victoria Deputy Commissioner North & West Michelle Cowling AFSM said crews would likely remain on site over coming days to fully extinguish the fire. Major arterial roads are starting to reopen. "Our crews have been working around the clock since 11.20am this morning and have brought this significant fire under control," Deputy Commissioner Cowling said. “There have been no reports of any injuries to staff or to any of the emergency services on site." “The cause of this fire will be fully investigated by WorkSafe, FRV, Victoria Police and other agencies." "The factory contained a range of chemicals, including kerosene, fuel, methylated spirits and ethanol." "It has been a huge fire and Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters have done an amazing job, relying on their training and professionalism to bring this fire under control in such as short amount of time." More than 180 firefighters are responding to the fire in Derrimut. FRV's specialist hazmat and scientific advisors are on site, as well as the Environment Protection Authority. FRV is attending a large factory fire at Swann Drive, Derrimut, with hazardous material and unknown toxins burning. FRV has requested an evacuation along Swann Drive to Bliss Court, which Victoria Police is managing. FRV has issued a ‘Watch and Act’ message for Albion, Braybrook, Brooklyn, Derrimut, Laverton North, Sunshine, Sunshine West, Tottenham, Truganina. A large plume of smoke is blowing over the eastern and western suburbs of Melbourne. Anyone located in the area affected by smoke should take shelter indoors immediately. FRV is responding to a significant factory fire in Derrimut. The fire has involved a large chemical explosion and a fire. Crews arrived at the Swann Drive scene at 11.20am. Specialist appliances are on scene, including aerial appliances. A community advice warning has been issued for Albion, Braybrook, Brooklyn, Derrimut, Laverton North, Sunshine, Sunshine West, Tottenham, Truganina. Additional appliances are being deployed to the scene, as crews work to attack the fire. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) By Hannah Hammoud The Mt Derrimut Golf Club.Credit: Justin McManus Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time On a serene Monday morning at the Mt Derrimut Golf Club the city skyline rises clearly against the horizon with only the faint hum of nearby freeways breaking the quiet a clear sign that the club’s popular RDO golf competition is under way The tournament has been tailored to align with the rostered days off for many local blue-collar workers which often flaunt flashy cars and upscale attire Mt Derrimut Golf Club vice president Chris Saldanha.Credit: Justin McManus Vice president Chris Saldanha knows this better than most His parents migrated from India in the 1970s he went to Derrimut – and has been there ever since Saldanha was named club captain – a role he said is traditionally reserved for retirees Saldanha said the club had actively worked on creating an inclusive environment in an elite sport that is usually dominated by wealthy We’re probably one of the most diverse and inclusive clubs in Melbourne,” he said “We have no barriers to membership or barriers to golf Our membership base is very reflective of the demographic of the community as well “We have a men’s and women’s competition running in parallel It’s one of those golf clubs that is very different to he bought a three-bedroom home for just $285,000 Derrimut was still developing and vacant land plots were being released where he lives with his wife and two children he says Derrimut is as good as any place in Melbourne to live “You don’t have to travel out of the suburb for a lot of things we are locked by freeways and industrial areas “You can move in and out with easy access to the freeways and enough services enough parks and things like that in the area Derrimut Village is the suburb’s local shopping centre.Credit: Justin McManus Even its main claim to fame – the Derrimut Hotel – is actually next door in Sunshine, which for a short time in 1945 was home to Prince Philip before his marriage to Queen Elizabeth II high school or local Aussie rules football club The Age was also unable to unearth any historical photos in its vast archive Derrimut is often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours in the west While the vibrant streets of St Albans and the culinary offerings of Sunshine attract much attention Surrounding suburbs have undergone significant transformation Nearby Sunshine is now regarded as the CBD of Melbourne’s west while Truganina has rapidly become one of the country’s fastest-growing areas gentrification has transformed working-class pockets into hubs of activity they’ve taken comfort in having their small It remains relatively uncharted for many Melburnians who mostly recognise it through the Derrimut 24:7 Gym that has garnered a reputation eclipsing the suburb itself Of late, Derrimut’s reputation has largely been shaped by negative news: factory fires toxic smoke filled the air in Melbourne’s west for several days following a chemical explosion that ignited a large factory fire in Derrimut A fire at a chemical factory sent plumes of black smoke billowing across Melbourne’s western suburbs.Credit: Joe Armao The blaze forced residents out of their homes as more than 180 firefighters worked to extinguish the flames on Swann Drive. A similar incident the year before at the same facility resulted in the death of a worker Local advocate Joh Bauch said he felt like a prisoner in his own home at the time but in Brighton you wouldn’t have a toxic factory a kilometre away from mansions,” he said Bauch said the proximity of industrial sites to residential homes has largely gone by unnoticed but the recent factory fire has sparked greater concern from the community Joh Bauch outside the Swann Drive factory in Derrimut where the aftermath of the fire is still visible.Credit: Joe Armao “I don’t think people even know what’s there to be honest “It’s not fair for residents – we didn’t really sign up for that Derrimut has always had two variations to the suburb: one of a residential area filled with young families and the other as an industrial playground said having industry in the local area was a good sign She said the separation of the industrial zone from residential homes was one that worked for the suburb “We need more jobs in our backyard,” said Grigorovitch And I know a lot of families who can literally ride their bike or walk across to get to work.” Local MP Luba Grigorovitch planting a tree at the new Deer Park station after the level crossing on Mt Derrimut Road was removed Grigorovitch said that within her electorate – which stretches from Deer Park to Aintree – Derrimut was a true “hidden gem” of the west Historian Gary Presland – author of the First Residents of Melbourne’s Western Region – said Derrimut was the head of Yalukit Willam clan at the time of European settlement in that he formed a friendship with the European party that was led by John Pascoe Fawkner one of the earliest settlers in the Melbourne area,” Presland said Portrait painting of Derrimut painted by Benjamin Duterrau in 1837.Credit: State Library of NSW Derrimut played a crucial role in alerting the European settlers of an impending attack from another clan Presland said Derrimut is credited in history as having provided the information on an upcoming attack to Fawkner’s party allowing them to prepare and arm themselves the Europeans would probably have been wiped out and so there wouldn’t have been a Melbourne,” Presland said Some have labelled his warning to European settlers as traitorous while others have lauded him as the saviour of Melbourne Presland said the decision to warn Fawkner’s party was probably not one that Derrimut would have made alone but instead a position reached by his entire clan “I think it’s not entirely correct to give Derrimut all the credit,” he said industrial zones and homes sit next to each other in Derrimut.Credit: Justin McManus Presland said Derrimut had been honoured in a way that none of the other prominent clan heads were – with a burial site inside the Melbourne General Cemetery Derrimut’s headstone reads: “This stone was erected by a few colonists to commemorate the noble act of the native chief Derrimut who by timely information given October 1835 to the first colonists … saved them from massacre planned by some of the upcountry tribes of Aborigines.” The modern-day suburb of Derrimut is home to a little more than 8000 residents 16.2 per cent of the population had Vietnamese heritage The statewide figure was just 1.9 per cent Mechanical technician Roel Estioco said living in Derrimut felt like being at home in the Philippines Estioco first arrived in Melbourne 20 years ago He now lives across the street from a park that he describes as perfect for his five grandchildren the only change he had noticed was the new warehouse and industry developments that continued to pop up the recent factory fire was not a concern for him You cannot just predict a fire like that,” he said and so far there’s no issue at all … I’m going to stay in Derrimut One resident who is helping shape the future of culturally and linguistically diverse people living in the western suburbs is Sisay Dinku Dinku is managing director of Multicultural Consulting Services a social enterprise that helps connect people from migrant backgrounds with jobs when I first moved here I was struggling to find a job and to settle in,” he said “Many diverse communities are struggling … the job market is very challenging The focus is on economic empowerment of the diverse community living in the area.” Derrimut resident Sisay Dinku has used his experience of struggling to find a job to help connect migrants with employment he was appointed as a commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission for his long-time advocacy for migrant and multicultural communities in Victoria at a time when the only neighbours he had were empty blocks of land people moved to Derrimut because it was affordable Now people stay put for the suburban life and sense of community it is like living in the CBD – everything is local,” Dinku said it’s accessible for all amenities including transportation “We also engage with local communities and decision makers and the leaders as well We will continue to make it better as a community.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter a clear sign that the club\\u2019s popular RDO golf competition is under way he went to Derrimut \\u2013 and has been there ever since Saldanha was named club captain \\u2013 a role he said is traditionally reserved for retirees We\\u2019re probably one of the most diverse and inclusive clubs in Melbourne,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe have no barriers to membership or barriers to golf \\u201CWe have a men\\u2019s and women\\u2019s competition running in parallel It\\u2019s one of those golf clubs that is very different to \\u201CYou don\\u2019t have to travel out of the suburb for a lot of things You\\u2019re not fighting traffic every day \\u201CYou can move in and out with easy access to the freeways and enough services Even its main claim to fame \\u2013 the Derrimut Hotel \\u2013 is actually next door in Sunshine which for a short time in 1945 before his marriage to Queen Elizabeth II Nearby Sunshine is now regarded as the CBD of Melbourne\\u2019s west while Truganina has rapidly become one of the country\\u2019s fastest-growing areas they\\u2019ve taken comfort in having their small Derrimut\\u2019s reputation has largely been shaped by negative news: toxic smoke filled the air in Melbourne\\u2019s west for several days following a chemical explosion that ignited a large factory fire in Derrimut The blaze forced residents out of their homes as more than 180 firefighters worked to extinguish the flames on Swann Drive A similar incident the year before at the same facility resulted in the but in Brighton you wouldn\\u2019t have a toxic factory a kilometre away from mansions,\\u201D he said \\u201CI don\\u2019t think people even know what\\u2019s there to be honest \\u201CIt\\u2019s not fair for residents \\u2013 we didn\\u2019t really sign up for that It\\u2019s like a ticking time bomb.\\u201D \\u201CWe need more jobs in our backyard,\\u201D said Grigorovitch \\u201CI don\\u2019t think that it\\u2019s a negative And I know a lot of families who can literally ride their bike or walk across to get to work.\\u201D Grigorovitch said that within her electorate \\u2013 which stretches from Deer Park to Aintree \\u2013 Derrimut was a true \\u201Chidden gem\\u201D of the west The suburb takes it\\u2019s named from Derrimut Historian Gary Presland \\u2013 author of the First Residents of Melbourne\\u2019s Western Region \\u2013 said Derrimut was the head of Yalukit Willam clan at the time of European settlement one of the earliest settlers in the Melbourne area,\\u201D Presland said Presland said Derrimut is credited in history as having provided the information on an upcoming attack to Fawkner\\u2019s party and so there wouldn\\u2019t have been a Melbourne,\\u201D Presland said Presland said the decision to warn Fawkner\\u2019s party was probably not one that Derrimut would have made alone \\u201CI think it\\u2019s not entirely correct to give Derrimut all the credit,\\u201D he said Presland said Derrimut had been honoured in a way that none of the other prominent clan heads were \\u2013 with a burial site inside the Melbourne General Cemetery Derrimut\\u2019s headstone reads: \\u201CThis stone was erected by a few colonists to commemorate the noble act of the native chief Derrimut who by timely information given October 1835 to the first colonists \\u2026 saved them from massacre planned by some of the upcountry tribes of Aborigines.\\u201D compared with Victoria\\u2019s 1.5 per cent \\u201CWe\\u2019ve got several friends here You cannot just predict a fire like that,\\u201D he said and so far there\\u2019s no issue at all \\u2026 I\\u2019m going to stay in Derrimut We are very comfortable living here.\\u201D when I first moved here I was struggling to find a job and to settle in,\\u201D he said \\u201CMany diverse communities are struggling \\u2026 the job market is very challenging The focus is on economic empowerment of the diverse community living in the area.\\u201D Dinku\\u2019s resume is more than impressive it is like living in the CBD \\u2013 everything is local,\\u201D Dinku said it\\u2019s accessible for all amenities including transportation \\u201CWe also engage with local communities and decision makers and the leaders as well We will continue to make it better as a community.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Melbourne Water staff and crews are working with partner agencies to manage contaminated runoff from a large fire on Wednesday 10 July at Swann Drive in Derrimut which means runoff is no longer expected to enter local waterways.  and Altona Beach in Derrimut and Altona to advise the public to avoid contact with the water Booms remain at key sites on the surface of the water and are made of a porous material continue to draw in any remaining contaminants Melbourne Water personnel are inspecting booms daily and are working alongside the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to monitor water quality in the area Inspections by Melbourne Water staff since the incident have revealed no observable impacts to wildlife be prevented from drinking or entering the water Roads and local drainage systems were washed and water used to clean the site was removed for treatment Melbourne Water crews flushed additional local drains adjacent to the site of the fire ahead of heavy rainfall overnight The fire commenced in a chemical factory at around 11:00 am on Wednesday which created a threat to the health of local waterways Melbourne Water staff worked with Greater Western Water to manage the flow of runoff into the sewer network from three pumps at Cherry Creek The water was pumped to reduce further impacts on the ecology of downstream waterways with around 3 million litres of water was removed every hour for decontamination and treatment If you are aware of any impacts to waterways or the environment in the area, please report them to the EPA on 1300  372  842 or Melbourne Water on 131  722 Media contact: [email protected] We use reCAPTCHA to protect our website from spam, for more information about the data we collect see our privacy website statement Melbourne Water respectfully acknowledges the Bunurong Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land and water on which we rely and operate We pay our deepest respects to their Elders past Residents warned to stay away from waterways as concerns are raised about health and environment impacts Drum barrels shot into the air from the enormous chemical fire at Derrimut in Melbourne’s west on Wednesday For the first time since its inception in 2020, Fire Rescue Victoria battled a blaze that reached the seventh-alarm level As the toxic black smoke billowed over Melbourne’s west residents were reminded of a fatal tragedy at the same factory less than nine months earlier died and two others were injured in a fire at the ACB Group factory in Derrimut More than 48 hours after it began on Wednesday 20 firefighters remained at the site as the fire continued to smoulder on Friday afternoon as Victoria’s work safety and environmental regulators piece together the cause of the fire community groups and experts have raised concerns about the longer-term impacts A fireball rises into the air at Derrimut on Wednesday morning Photograph: ABCThe Environment Protection Authority has warned the recovery of nearby waterways contaminated from both the firefighting efforts and the chemicals at the site The large explosion happened at a factory that houses multiple businesses including chemical blenders and fuel distributors methanol and other substances stored at the site There were no injuries from Wednesday’s fire and it was declared under control within four hours However, the EPA’s west metropolitan manager, Steve Lansdell, on Friday reiterated warnings for residents and their pets to stay away from affected waterways – including Laverton Creek and Cherry Creek Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Fire Rescue Victoria’s deputy commissioner for community safety said some firefighters who fought the blaze had undergone observation and testing at hospital but had since been discharged “There’s a number of things that can occur as people are exposed to chemicals,” he said “We’ll be monitoring for those … Obviously “This is a really dangerous environment for our people to be in.” An aerial view of the factory fire after Wednesday’s explosion Photograph: EPA VictoriaLansdell said fish deaths or impacts on birdlife were yet to be recorded “Often it can take 24 or 48 hours of this fire-water going down [for it to] start to have those impacts,” he told reporters “The recovery of these waterways themselves can take some weeks and months … There’s still a lot of work out there to clean it up.” which is conducting monitoring alongside Melbourne Water install sandbags and deploy trucks to suck out affected stormwater Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Free daily newsletterOur Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters A Monash University chemical engineer, Dr Sally El Meragawi, says firefighting foams containing polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – or so-called “forever chemicals” – could enter into the waterways and have serious long-term environmental and health impacts. Read more“It really depends on how much can be cleaned up at the site and how much we’ll see entering into our actual water sources,” she says “Some chemicals are within the ability of general water wastewater treatment plants … but some are not.” She points to the 2018 Footscray-Tottenham factory fire where toxic levels of PFAS chemicals persisted in nearby recreational waters weeks after the incident the levels of PFAS chemicals were found to be 16 times higher than safe recreational water quality levels downstream from the fire site “The problem with PFAS especially is that when it’s in the environment it tends to stay there for a very long time,” she says “They have been linked to health issues such as various cancers and thyroid diseases.” Fischer said there was no indication the cause of the fire was suspicious and the agency would access the site once safe to do so This isn’t going to be a quick investigation,” he said Landsell said after the October fire the agency issued regulatory notices to the factory focused on stormwater management and containment He said those notices had been complied with but on Thursday warned “no stone will be left unturned” during the investigations He said further investigations would probe the types of contaminants at the site Guardian Australia understands WorkSafe’s investigation into last year’s fire at the same site is ongoing It is understood that since the October fire seven compliance notices have been issued to the factory A man suffered burns in an explosion at a factory in Derrimut The incident occurred around midday at a facility on Swann Drive prompting a swift response from Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and other emergency services after a triple-0 call reported a chemical explosion Fire Rescue Victoria reported that the explosion was caused by a “product flash,” which ignited a small fire and produced a significant amount of smoke within the building The injured worker was treated on-site for burns before being transported to the Alfred Hospital for further medical attention All other workers in the factory were safely evacuated and the situation was quickly brought under control Victoria Police are currently on the scene with inspectors responding to investigate the incident This explosion comes just a month after a major incident at another chemical factory on the same street, which led to the closure of the Western Freeway for several hours. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the previous explosion. The factory fire in Derrimut has been deemed under control by Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) The Western Freeway is closed in both directions between the M80 Ring Road and Robinsons Road VicTraffic is urging drivers to use the M80 Ring Road and Ballarat Road instead Inbound lanes remain open for now but with heavy delays There was a large chemical explosion resulting in a significant factory fire in Derrimut this morning causing a large plume of smoke to blow over the eastern and western suburbs of Melbourne FRV crews arrived at the Swann Drive scene at 11.20am There was hazardous material and unknown toxins burning Metal drums filled with chemicals have been thrown into the air from deep within the blaze posing a danger to the 180 firefighters racing to bring it under control FRV has requested an evacuation along Swann Drive to Bliss Court and told those in the area affected by smoke should take shelter indoors immediately FRV has issued a ‘Watch and Act’ message for Albion “We don’t know what’s in that smoke smoke is toxic and will cause damage,” firefighter Michelle Cowling told reporters at the scene The blaze was Melbourne’s most significant in several years was not yet under control and would likely burn for days until we can get close enough even with our aerial appliances that are on site and specialist hazmat people on site we can’t get in close enough to cool this fire down,” she said Police have also responded to the explosion and subsequent fire and at this time there have been no reports of injuries and it is believed everyone inside the premises evacuated safely Traffic in the area is expected to be impacted for some time with Swann Drive closed as well as westbound traffic on the Deer Park bypass being stopped for safety The factory is located close to a gas pipeline but emergency services have not issued any alerts over the infrastructure One worker died and two were injured in a factory fire on the same Derrimut street in 2023 The page you requested does not exist or has moved If you believe that this is a technical error, please contact us and tell us the location of this page Toxic smoke will continue to blow across Melbourne’s west for days after a chemical explosion sparked a massive factory fire that launched drums into the air and forced residents out of their homes More than 180 firefighters battled the blaze in Swann Drive, Derrimut, which broke out just before 11.20am on Wednesday. Last year, a man was killed and two others were injured in a chemical fire at the same factory Michelle Cowling from Fire Rescue Victoria said there was a danger to residents and firefighters as the fire drew in 66 appliances to fight it “The warehouse itself is full with multiple types of chemicals and those drums are being impinged by fire they launch into the air and land outside of the fire perimeter,” she said “So that’s why we’re encouraging people to stay away.” Fire Rescue Victoria deemed the blaze under control at 3.32pm on Wednesday methylated spirits and ethanol were among the chemicals in the factory “We estimate we’re going to be here a couple of days because of the fuel load in this factory,” she said She said it would take time to get close enough to the burning chemicals to put them out and make sure the site was safe “We can’t get in close enough to cool this fire down It will have to be pulled apart and gone through and make sure everything is out Since Fire Rescue Victoria was created four years ago it has not previously had to battle a fire higher than a fifth-alarm level WorkSafe was on the scene on Wednesday and is still investigating after the deadly fire at the chemical manufacturing plant last October Fire Rescue Victoria said Victoria Police would also investigate the cause of Wednesday’s fire Firefighters have brought a massive blaze at a commercial premises in Derrimut under control A watch-and-act warning was issued shortly after 1pm on Wednesday in Derrimut and the neighbouring suburbs of Albion The warning zone was reduced to the Derrimut industrial estate shortly before 4pm it was downgraded to an advice message around the same time Residents near the fire were told to stay out of the smoke and keep windows and doors closed to avoid the toxic burned chemicals They were also urged to close vents in their homes and ensure heating and cooling systems are turned off A wind change blew the toxic smoke toward Boundary Road and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs Anyone affected is urged to take shelter indoors immediately A view of the toxic smoke plume blowing east from Melbourne’s western suburbs.Credit: Nine News Ambulance Victoria said paramedics arrived about 11.15am The surrounding industrial estate was evacuated by police along Swann Drive to Bliss Court The Environment Protection Authority of Victoria also attended the scene A plume of black smoke could be seen across Melbourne and a wall at the rear of the factory collapsed early on Wednesday afternoon Tanks containing flammable substances exploded and a b-double truck was damaged fireballs continued to erupt from the inferno near the Western Ring Road while crews tried to douse the flames Spot fires appeared to break out on the nature strip on the southern edge of the major freeway about 1pm while vehicles drove just metres away A specialised truck arrived about 2pm and doused the flames with white foam Footage from a news helicopter showed several vehicles parked on the side of the Western Freeway close to the fire cars could still be seen joining westbound Deer Park bypass traffic via an entry ramp from the Western Ring Road The Western Freeway was closed in both directions shortly before 1.30pm The inbound closure was from Ballarat Road to the M80 Ring Road while the outbound closure is from the M80 Ring Road to Robinsons Road People have been urged to avoid the industrial estate south of the Western Freeway while motorists in smoke-affected areas were told to keep their windows up and car ventilation on recirculate mode FRV Deputy Commissioner Cowling praised the efforts of emergency services late on Wednesday “It has been a huge fire and Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters have done an amazing job relying on their training and professionalism to bring this fire under control in such as short amount of time.” Get alerts on significant breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. Toxic smoke will continue to blow across Melbourne\\u2019s west for days after a chemical explosion sparked a massive factory fire that launched drums into the air and forced residents out of their homes More than 180 firefighters battled the blaze in Swann Drive which broke out just before 11.20am on Wednesday a man was killed and two others were injured in \\u201CThe warehouse itself is full with multiple types of chemicals they launch into the air and land outside of the fire perimeter,\\u201D she said \\u201CSo that\\u2019s why we\\u2019re encouraging people to stay away.\\u201D \\u201CWe estimate we\\u2019re going to be here a couple of days because of the fuel load in this factory,\\u201D she said \\u201CWe can\\u2019t get in close enough to cool this fire down so that has to be drained,\\u201D she said Fire Rescue Victoria said Victoria Police would also investigate the cause of Wednesday\\u2019s fire A wind change blew the toxic smoke toward Boundary Road and Melbourne\\u2019s eastern suburbs \\u201CIt has been a huge fire and Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters have done an amazing job relying on their training and professionalism to bring this fire under control in such as short amount of time.\\u201D Get alerts on significant breaking news as it happens Fire caused by explosion at Derrimut chemical factory brought under control but likely to continue burning Firefighters say toxic smoke from a significant factory fire may rage for days as tens of thousands of residents are told to stay inside and a major Melbourne freeway is shut Metal drums filled with chemicals were thrown into the air from deep within the blaze on Wednesday afternoon An explosion sparked the fire at the chemical factory on Swann Drive in Derrimut at about 11.20am on Wednesday and was brought under control at about 3.30pm No injuries were reported and it was believed everyone inside the building was evacuated safely, Victoria police said Hazardous material and unknown toxins were burning Fire Rescue Victoria said with the Western Freeway closed near the area for health reasons Emergency crews are responding to a significant factory fire which involved a large chemical explosion in Melbourne’s west Photograph: James Ross/AAP“We don’t know what’s in that smoke smoke is toxic and will cause damage,” firefighter Michelle Cowling told reporters at the scene The blaze was Melbourne’s most significant in several years and would probably burn for days Those in nearby factories were evacuated and thousands of people in the area were told to stay indoors A watch and act alert was issued for the fire affecting thousands of residents and workers in Albion “Wind is blowing toxic smoke towards the east across Derrimut,” the alert said “Anyone located in the area affected by smoke should take shelter indoors immediately.” Free daily newsletterOur Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day A significant amount of back smoke is visible around Derrimut and Sunshine West, due to a factory fire. Motorists in the area, including the Western Freeway and M80 Ring Road, should keep their ventilation on recirculate and windows up. #victraffic pic.twitter.com/8G8YJFzAcy Residents away from home were told not to return while those still in the area were told to close all doors Drivers in the area were told to keep their windows up to avoid breathing smoke and not to slow down to see the fire The Environmental Protection Authority issued an air quality notice and advised anyone with breathing difficulties to ring triple zero The factory is near a gas pipeline but emergency services had not issued any alerts over the infrastructure Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters battle the factory fire in Derrimut Photograph: James Ross/AAPParamedics were at the scene but had not treated any patients a worker died and two others were injured in a fire also triggered by an explosion at a factory on Swann Drive Warnings to avoid nearby waterways as EPA says same Melbourne factory was issued notices after previous fire Victoria’s environmental regulator has warned residents in Melbourne’s west to avoid contaminated waterways after a fire at a chemical factory sent toxic smoke billowing over the city Firefighters battled the blaze throughout the day and night after a large explosion at the Derrimut factory on Wednesday morning It came after another fire at the same site resulted in the death of one person last October Victoria’s Environment Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday evening said Melbourne Water was managing a “significant volume of contaminated firewater run off” which had entered Kayes Drain to the west of the site of the fire and Cherrys Main Drain “EPA will support Melbourne Water as it works to reduce the impact to downstream waterways including Truganina Swamp and Cherry Lake and Laverton Creek south of Dohertys Rd,” a statement said The EPA previously warned locals to avoid coming into contact with water in Cherry Creek after pollutants carried by firefighting water entered the waterways the EPA’s western metropolitan region manager on Thursday morning said the smoke’s impact was easing He said Melbourne Water would install signs to alert people to the affected waterways He said the EPA has inspected the factory nine times and issued two notices after the October fire The factory fire in Derrimut Photograph: EPA VictoriaThe notices required the company to clean up and have stormwater management and prevention measures and Landsell said the company had complied with them “Clearly there are big investigations to come,” he told ABC radio “We’ll be working really closely with WorkSafe and other regulators given there were still investigations going into the previous incident.” A WorkSafe spokesperson said it remained on scene to provide technical support and would “determine further action at the appropriate time.” chemical drums were sent flying into the air at the height of the blaze making the emergency response more dangerous for firefighters No one was injured and it was declared under control in about four hours but the fire was expected to burn for days On Thursday morning, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) said nearby businesses would be allowed to return on a case-by-case basis FRV deputy commissioner of community safety said a number of chemicals and dangerous goods at the factory were consumed in the fire but the exact quantity was not known The EPA has advised those nearby to avoid areas where odours remain The EPA had not observed any airborne ash from the fire but urged people to wash down affected surfaces and any fruit and vegetables before eating them said it was the most significant blaze in Melbourne in recent years and required an aggressive response Fire Rescue Victoria deputy commissioner Michelle Cowling at the scene of the fire in Derrimut. Photograph: James Ross/AAPThe nearby Western Freeway was shut for several hours and thousands of residents were urged to stay indoors due to health risks. Cowling said there was no connection between the October blaze and the fire on Wednesday, but the cause was still under investigation. The factory houses multiple businesses including chemical blenders and fuel distributors, with drums containing kerosene, methylated spirits, methanol and other substances stored at the site. Prof Gabriel Da Silva, a University of Melbourne chemical engineering academic said all smoke was toxic and the biggest concern was the large amount of smoke in the area. “The risk from the chemicals here has been largely providing that fire to happen, as opposed to people being exposed to compounds that are being released,” he said. “Although there may be, particularly with water escaping from the site, some of these harmful compounds being carried away.” Da Silva said in the short term, he was most concerned about those with asthma as locals were still at risk while the fire burns. This is probably not the page you’re looking for A young man found dead with stab wounds in a Melbourne park has been identified as a talented basketball player was discovered in Balmoral Park in Derrimut during the early hours of Saturday morning Paramedics attempted to revive him but he died at the scene at about 4.30am Mr Athum played forward-guard for Goldbackz in the semi-professional Melbourne Basketball League On Saturday, two visibly distressed women visited the crime scene and repeatedly shouted 'just let me see him one more time,' the Herald Sun reports.  Police were seen consoling the pair but steered them away from the marquee covering the 28-year-old's body.  Victorian Police Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said Mr Athum was last seen by his sister about 9pm in the Derrimut area.  It is believed he was in the company of four other males. Inspector Thomas said homicide detectives were still trying to piece together Mr Athum's movements between 9pm and 4.20am.  The talented basketball player was not known to have any links to gangs.  Sections of Balmoral Park were cordoned off with police tape on Saturday while a marquee shielded Mr Athum's body from public view.  Investigators said they have found 'several knives' in the park. Inspector Thomas said the knives would have to be forensically examined to determine if they had any connection to the suspected stabbing.  Police were also trying to identify whether a group of males that called them to the scene were associated with Mr Athum. 'We're trying to find out what connection they have to the deceased. We believe there may have been other people present in the park at the time who may have run off,' Inspector Thomas said.  Detectives were seen knocking on doors at Lennon Parkway on Saturday morning.  Inspector Thomas urged anyone with information to come forward. 'We're appealing for anybody that was in the area at the time, driving through, walking nearby etc that saw anything suspicious,' he said. 'We've spoken with local police and they're putting further patrols out in the area, so residents should expect to see more police in the area over the coming days.' Anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... Pub is forced to pay family £75,000 after wrongly accusing them of 'dine and dash' over £150... Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami... after glam women made a rookie maritime... How Meghan's biggest cheerleader brokered Harry's disastrous BBC interview - three months after... 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No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} A new 24/7 super-gym that flouted a rule to limit its members is causing parking chaos on nearby streets as security guards are brought in to manage queues outside the building Many locals are furious at Monash City Council for granting a planning permit to gym chain Derrimut Problems started almost immediately after the company launched its Oakleigh East club People line up outside the new 24/7 gym in Oakleigh East.Credit: Joe Armao Owners of local businesses say customers and staff have been unable to park as gym members seize any spot they can find The traffic has spilled onto neighbouring residential streets Derrimut is popular among bodybuilders and known for its large-format gyms with cheap memberships that can cost as little as $5 a week The Oakleigh East branch enrolled more than 14,000 members despite a condition from the council that there could be a maximum of only 180 patrons inside the gym at one time The new gym’s popularity is frustrating locals.Credit: Joe Armao is part of a group of about 20 traders who say they would have opposed the new gym if they had been adequately consulted by the council At least one trader was considering leaving the area “We’re frustrated we didn’t know about it,” Davis said Monash Council took Derrimut to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal after an investigation found up to 440 members were being let inside the gym at one time – more than double the 180 people allowed tribunal member Dalia Cook made an interim order in May allowing the gym to have 295 members inside the gym between 7am and 6pm and 440 between 7pm and 7am Resident Reynie Hafner is frustrated over cars lining the streets.Credit: Joe Armao Monash Mayor Nicky Luo said the council disapproved of the decision The gym has hired security guards to manage patron numbers at peak times Cook said in her judgment: “One practical challenge for the gym operator is that when it sought to restrict patron numbers in the past this led to unruly behaviour by some patrons “Documents filed on behalf of council referred to at least one attendance by Victoria Police.” a childcare centre next door hired security and installed bollards to protect its parking spaces as parents were unable to drop off and pick up their children The council tried to resolve the issue by introducing new parking restrictions including limits of 30 minutes in front of some businesses and 90 minutes on residential streets But some locals say this only created new problems Davis said: “Our customers now are distracted said she was disappointed by VCAT’s decision and that the gym should not be allowed to have more than 180 members inside at any time “We’re getting let down by the council,” she said Davis also said the area was now riddled with turfed protein bar wrappers and drink containers: “I’m over it.” A Derrimut Gym spokeswoman declined to answer specific questions from The Age due to ongoing VCAT proceedings “Derrimut Gym is committed to continuing to work productively with Monash City Council to ensure that any alleged issues are properly and expediently resolved for the benefit of local residents and businesses,” she said The matter will return to VCAT for a final enforcement order in November who lives a seven-minute walk from the gym says she and other neighbours are frustrated by cars lining their streets and having to pay for parking permits who is a member of another 24/7 gym only 200 metres from Derrimut questioned why the development was ever approved The situation is winding up gym members too The club has received many negative reviews for overcrowding and lack of parking said she was seeking a refund for her 12-month membership She said members who wanted to work out during peak times faced queuing for 30 to 60 minutes I’ve never experienced anything like that before,” she said “Everyone I know has had a parking fine and I felt sorry for adjoining businesses.” said she understood that the higher-than-expected number of patrons had affected locals She said the council did not anticipate parking to be a problem The gym was not required to build new parking “A significant issue here has been the ongoing non-compliance of the business with their planning permit.” The council said it advertised the planning application in 2022 and received no objections Fifty-three complaints about the gym and parking have been received since the club opened The gym has submitted an application to permanently increase its patron numbers The tribunal encouraged gym management to explore implementing a booking system and block the purchase of new memberships Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here. This article has been updated to make clear that half of the 111 car spares are shared. A new 24/7 super-gym that flouted a rule to limit its members is causing parking chaos on nearby streets, as security guards are brought in to manage queues outside the building. Many locals are furious at Monash City Council for granting a planning permit to gym chain Derrimut. Problems started almost immediately after the company launched its Oakleigh East club, in Melbourne\\u2019s south-east, late last year. Owners of local businesses say customers and staff have been unable to park as gym members seize any spot they can find, parking haphazardly on nature strips, driveways and privately owned spaces, and intimidating others. The traffic has spilled onto neighbouring residential streets, with cars clogging up once-quiet roads. Derrimut is popular among bodybuilders and known for its large-format gyms with cheap memberships that can cost as little as $5 a week. The Oakleigh East branch enrolled more than 14,000 members despite a condition from the council that there could be a maximum of only 180 patrons inside the gym at one time. Annette Davis, manager of adventure store Snowgum, is part of a group of about 20 traders who say they would have opposed the new gym if they had been adequately consulted by the council. At least one trader was considering leaving the area. \\u201CWe\\u2019re frustrated we didn\\u2019t know about it,\\u201D Davis said. Monash Council took Derrimut to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal after an investigation found up to 440 members were being let inside the gym at one time \\u2013 more than double the 180 people allowed. However, tribunal member Dalia Cook made an interim order in May allowing the gym to have 295 members inside the gym between 7am and 6pm and 440 between 7pm and 7am. Monash Mayor Nicky Luo said the council disapproved of the decision. The gym has hired security guards to manage patron numbers at peak times, meaning members can queue to enter. Cook said in her judgment: \\u201COne practical challenge for the gym operator is that when it sought to restrict patron numbers in the past, this led to unruly behaviour by some patrons. \\u201CDocuments filed on behalf of council referred to at least one attendance by Victoria Police.\\u201D After the gym opened, a childcare centre next door hired security and installed bollards to protect its parking spaces, as parents were unable to drop off and pick up their children. The council tried to resolve the issue by introducing new parking restrictions, including limits of 30 minutes in front of some businesses and 90 minutes on residential streets. But some locals say this only created new problems. Davis said: \\u201COur customers now are distracted, running in and out, moving their cars while they shop.\\u201D Fellow trader Sally Smith, of Australian Lighting, said she was disappointed by VCAT\\u2019s decision and that the gym should not be allowed to have more than 180 members inside at any time. \\u201CWe\\u2019re getting let down by the council,\\u201D she said. Davis also said the area was now riddled with turfed protein bar wrappers and drink containers: \\u201CI\\u2019m over it.\\u201D A Derrimut Gym spokeswoman declined to answer specific questions from The Age due to ongoing VCAT proceedings. \\u201CDerrimut Gym is committed to continuing to work productively with Monash City Council to ensure that any alleged issues are properly and expediently resolved for the benefit of local residents and businesses,\\u201D she said. The matter will return to VCAT for a final enforcement order in November. Reynie Hafner, who lives a seven-minute walk from the gym, says she and other neighbours are frustrated by cars lining their streets and having to pay for parking permits. \\u201CWe\\u2019re far enough away. You wouldn\\u2019t think we\\u2019d be impacted, but we are,\\u201D she said. Hafner, who is a member of another 24/7 gym only 200 metres from Derrimut, questioned why the development was ever approved. \\u201CEveryone is really pissed off. I blame the council completely,\\u201D she said. The situation is winding up gym members too. The club has received many negative reviews for overcrowding and lack of parking. Alana, who asked that her surname not be used, said she was seeking a refund for her 12-month membership. She said members who wanted to work out during peak times faced queuing for 30 to 60 minutes. Once inside the gym, she said, there were more queues for equipment. \\u201CIt\\u2019s so crowded. You can wait 30 minutes for a squat rack. I\\u2019ve never experienced anything like that before,\\u201D she said. \\u201CEveryone I know has had a parking fine and I felt sorry for adjoining businesses.\\u201D Luo, the mayor, said she understood that the higher-than-expected number of patrons had affected locals. She said the council did not anticipate parking to be a problem, as the plan included 111 car spaces, half of which are shared. The gym was not required to build new parking. \\u201CA significant issue here has been the ongoing non-compliance of the business with their planning permit.\\u201D The council said it advertised the planning application in 2022 and received no objections. Fifty-three complaints about the gym and parking have been received since the club opened. The gym has submitted an application to permanently increase its patron numbers. The tribunal encouraged gym management to explore implementing a booking system and block the purchase of new memberships. Get the day\\u2019s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Watch 1m 45sAn aerial view of the extent of destruction from an inferno which engulfed a chemical factory in Derrimut. Authorities have warned residents in Melbourne’s west exposed to a massive industrial blaze in Derrimut this week to monitor for headaches after the toxic fire contaminated nearby waterways and may take weeks to clean up are also being monitored for adverse health effects after some presented to the hospital for observation and testing in the aftermath of the fire “Those firefighters have since been released and they’re in care with our medical professionals at FRV for that ongoing monitoring,” said Josh Fischer Fire Rescue Victoria’s deputy commissioner for community safety on Friday On Thursday, The Age revealed a bitter dispute had erupted in the midst of Wednesday’s fire at the chemical manufacturing plant after Melbourne Water initially delayed flushing a large toxic water slurry created by the blaze and the efforts to douse it with chemical-laced firefighting foam An official from the water authority – who was later overruled – worried about environmental damage and clean-up costs But that sparked anger among emergency responders on the scene who worried about the health risks to themselves as huge toxic pools of water formed there’s a number of things that can occur as people are exposed to chemicals,” Fischer said on Friday particularly with this type of strenuous activity: long duration Fischer said authorities were still probing how the fire started Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene for days as they work to access the site of the explosion Wastewater and concerns about the building’s integrity have prevented crews from venturing into the smouldering wreck leaving firefighters to monitor hotspots from above using drones particularly of the area of origin,” Fischer said Authorities are also checking the atmosphere for dangerous gases emanating from the site the Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria’s western metropolitan region manager reiterated western Melbourne residents should not touch potentially affected waterways He said if significant contamination was found but we’ll continue to monitor that for days to come,” he told reporters Scrutiny of the management of the chemical warehouse razed on Wednesday is mounting after WorkSafe and the EPA revealed on Thursday they inspected it a combined 33 times and issued nine compliance notices since a deadly explosion last October which killed 44-year-old father Reece Martin EPA last inspected the site it in December last year Lansdell said the ACB Group factory didn’t require an EPA licence for the chemicals it stored and it was instead a dangerous goods site regulated by Worksafe “Our focus was issuing a couple of regulatory notices focused on stormwater management and stormwater containment,” he said adding the second notice required information about waste stored on the site they’d complied and weren’t storing and accepting any waste that needed EPA permission.” FRV Deputy Commissioner Josh Fischer and EPA West Metro Manager Steve Lansdell on Friday.Credit: Wayne Taylor When asked if that second notice indicated the ACB Group was storing chemicals that it wasn’t supposed to but that’s part of the ongoing investigation and we’ll certainly be laser-focused on that.” He added: “We haven’t seen any fish deaths or impacts on the bird life at the moment often it can take 24 or 48 hours of this firewater going downstream [before it] can start to have those impacts.” Authorities have warned residents in exposed to a massive industrial blaze in Derrimut this week to monitor for headaches \\u201CThose firefighters have since been released and they\\u2019re in care with our medical professionals at FRV for that ongoing monitoring,\\u201D said Josh Fischer Fire Rescue Victoria\\u2019s deputy commissioner for community safety on Friday a bitter dispute had erupted in the midst of Wednesday\\u2019s fire at the chemical manufacturing plant An official from the water authority \\u2013 who was later overruled \\u2013 worried about environmental damage and clean-up costs there\\u2019s a number of things that can occur as people are exposed to chemicals,\\u201D Fischer said on Friday \\u201CWe\\u2019ll be monitoring for those \\u201CThis is a really dangerous environment for our people to be in.\\u201D Wastewater and concerns about the building\\u2019s integrity have prevented crews from venturing into the smouldering wreck particularly of the area of origin,\\u201D Fischer said the Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria\\u2019s western metropolitan region manager \\u201CWe\\u2019re not getting readings out there but we\\u2019ll continue to monitor that for days to come,\\u201D he told reporters Scrutiny of the management of the chemical warehouse razed on Wednesday is mounting after WorkSafe and the EPA revealed on Thursday they inspected it a combined 33 times and issued nine compliance notices since a Lansdell said the ACB Group factory didn\\u2019t require an EPA licence for the chemicals it stored \\u201COur focus was issuing a couple of regulatory notices focused on stormwater management and stormwater containment,\\u201D he said they\\u2019d complied and weren\\u2019t storing and accepting any waste that needed EPA permission.\\u201D When asked if that second notice indicated the ACB Group was storing chemicals that it wasn\\u2019t supposed to Lansdell said: \\u201CIt\\u2019s too early to say .. but that\\u2019s part of the ongoing investigation and we\\u2019ll certainly be laser-focused on that.\\u201D He added: \\u201CWe haven\\u2019t seen any fish deaths or impacts on the bird life at the moment often it can take 24 or 48 hours of this firewater going downstream [before it] can start to have those impacts.\\u201D A bitter dispute erupted in the midst of the worst industrial fire in Melbourne in six years over what to do with millions of litres of contaminated water – potentially exposing those fighting the blaze to dangerous chemicals Water authorities allowed huge pools of water and firefighting foam contaminated with chemicals to collect around the enormous industrial site in Derrimut to protect fish in a nearby creek and limit clean-up costs Melbourne Water’s decision to delay flushing the toxic slurry created by the blaze and the efforts to douse it into drains and Cherry Creek sparked anger among emergency responders and regulators at the scene on Wednesday evening operated by chemical blending company ACB Group and other dangerous goods that were highly flammable and toxic Last year, Hoppers Crossing man Reece Martin was killed and two others were injured in a chemical fire at the same factory who was killed in a fire at the ACB Group factory in Derrimut last October Two sources with direct knowledge of Wednesday’s seventh-alarm-level blaze speaking anonymously to discuss operational matters said a Melbourne Water official refused to authorise the pumping over concerns about local wildlife safety and the likelihood the agency would be forced to foot the bill to remediate creek contamination Firefighters and staff from the Environment Protection Authority were demanding the water’s removal for safety and to prevent uncontrolled leaking off the property The intense fire caused chemical drums to explode launching them high into the air and endangering people outside the firefighting zone More than 3 million litres of water and 40,000 litres of foam have been used by firefighters since the start of the blaze The Melbourne Water official was eventually overruled by the agency’s senior management – but not before huge puddles of contaminated water had pooled around the property It was too much to be fully contained by sandbags and specialised pumping vehicles An EPA worker tests a creek on Thursday that runs through the Mount Derrimut golf course.Credit: Joe Armao Melbourne Water’s head of waterway and catchment services in the north-west declined to comment on the dispute or actions of its staff during the Derrimut blaze “Melbourne Water’s top priority is to protect the waterway Our crews worked overnight to pump wastewater and dispose of it offsite for treatment,” Penko said along with signage to keep the community informed.” Penko said Melbourne Water would continue to “work in full collaboration with the EPA [Environment Protection Authority] to ensure the best possible outcome for the community and the environment” Melbourne Water has said it was forced to spend $806,330 for its response to a huge 2019 chemical fire at Bradbury Industrial Services that polluted local waterways It also spent at least $6.05 million cleaning up after a chemical fire in West Footscray in 2018 The EPA declined to comment on the incident with Melbourne Water over the Derrimut fire “EPA officers ensured Melbourne Water was made aware of the actions required to protect their assets early in the event including pumping wastewater and removing it for treatment at a suitable location which will continue over the duration,” a spokesperson said About 180 firefighters and dozens of trucks responded to the Derrimut blaze It is the largest industrial fire since the 2018 West Footscray blaze which erupted in an illegal chemical waste dump but Fire Rescue Victoria has enacted special health protocols to monitor firefighters exposed to chemicals Numerous firefighters suffered immediate and long-term injuries suspected of being linked to toxic exposure from the 2018 fire The EPA issued a public warning late on Wednesday that firewater had seeped into Cherry Creek Anderson’s Swamp and Kayes Drain from the fire in Swann Drive Residents in Melbourne’s west have been warned to stay away from the waterways because of the chemicals “EPA will continue to monitor to identify if other areas have also been impacted,” the agency said The warnings come as new information has emerged about the problematic history of the ACB Group factory and concerns are being raised among emergency response agencies about the way the crisis was managed The EPA’s western metropolitan region manager, Stephen Lansdell, told the ABC that ACB Group’s factory had been inspected nine times since the fire last October which killed Reece Martin, 44. The fire rages on Wednesday.Credit: Joe Armao WorkSafe confirmed on Thursday night that it had inspected the factory 24 times since the fatal fire said “he was one hell of a son and good man society has lost” “I believe that company was a timebomb just waiting to go up,” he said Lansdell said ACB Group had complied with two notices issued to “make sure they’d cleaned everything up” since the previous fire but the size of Wednesday’s inferno had overwhelmed stormwater valves that helped stop contaminated firewater running off the site WorkSafe has said Martin was handling a flammable liquid when an explosion occurred Premier Jacinta Allan said she could “appreciate those questions being raised” about how two major fires occurred at the same factory in less than a year but she “just wanted to be careful” in commenting further while investigations were under way particularly of the EPA … and this will be thoroughly investigated by those agencies,” Allan said on Thursday morning The United Firefighters Union has claimed that Fire Rescue Victoria was forced to use a number of obsolete firefighting trucks to battle the blaze including one appliance that has been in service since 1995 and four others that are more than two decades old Cherry Creek at Taras Avenue in Altona North on Thursday.Credit: Joe Armao we want trucks that work,” firefighter and union member Doug Lukic said “Yesterday 200 firefighters put their lives on the line knowing that it was basically a coin flip whether their equipment was fit for service.” Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. A bitter dispute erupted in the midst of the worst industrial fire in Melbourne in six years over what to do with millions of litres of contaminated water \\u2013 potentially exposing those fighting the blaze to dangerous chemicals Melbourne Water\\u2019s decision to delay flushing the toxic slurry Hoppers Crossing man Reece Martin was killed and two others were injured in Two sources with direct knowledge of Wednesday\\u2019s seventh-alarm-level blaze were demanding the water\\u2019s removal for safety and to prevent uncontrolled leaking off the property The Melbourne Water official was eventually overruled by the agency\\u2019s senior management \\u2013 but not before huge puddles of contaminated water had pooled around the property Melbourne Water\\u2019s head of waterway and catchment services in the north-west \\u201CMelbourne Water\\u2019s top priority is to protect the waterway Our crews worked overnight to pump wastewater and dispose of it offsite for treatment,\\u201D Penko said \\u201CSandbags and booms are also in place along with signage to keep the community informed.\\u201D Penko said Melbourne Water would continue to \\u201Cwork in full collaboration with the EPA [Environment Protection Authority] to ensure the best possible outcome for the community and the environment\\u201D Melbourne Water has said it was forced to spend $806,330 for its response to at Bradbury Industrial Services that polluted local waterways \\u201CEPA officers ensured Melbourne Water was made aware of the actions required to protect their assets early in the event which will continue over the duration,\\u201D a spokesperson said Anderson\\u2019s Swamp and Kayes Drain from the fire in Swann Drive Residents in Melbourne\\u2019s west have been warned to stay away from the waterways because of the chemicals \\u201CEPA will continue to monitor to identify if other areas have also been impacted,\\u201D the agency said The EPA\\u2019s western metropolitan region manager told the ABC that ACB Group\\u2019s factory had been inspected nine times since the fire last October said \\u201Che was one hell of a son and good man society has lost\\u201D \\u201CI believe that company was a timebomb just waiting to go up,\\u201D he said Lansdell said ACB Group had complied with two notices issued to \\u201Cmake sure they\\u2019d cleaned everything up\\u201D since the previous fire but the size of Wednesday\\u2019s inferno had overwhelmed stormwater valves that helped stop contaminated firewater running off the site Martin was handling a flammable liquid when an explosion occurred Premier Jacinta Allan said she could \\u201Cappreciate those questions being raised\\u201D about how two major fires occurred at the same factory in less than a year but she \\u201Cjust wanted to be careful\\u201D in commenting further while investigations were under way particularly of the EPA \\u2026 and this will be thoroughly investigated by those agencies,\\u201D Allan said on Thursday morning we want trucks that work,\\u201D firefighter and union member Doug Lukic said \\u201CYesterday 200 firefighters put their lives on the line knowing that it was basically a coin flip whether their equipment was fit for service.\\u201D Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens Several knives were found near a suburban park in Melbourne’s west where a man died from stab wounds early on Saturday morning Emergency services were called to Balmoral Park Derrimut about 4.20am following reports a man had been stabbed Witnesses performed CPR before paramedics arrived but the 28-year-old local man died at the scene Emergency services workers at the scene of the man’s death in Derrimut Police are investigating.Credit: Joe Armao said the victim was last seen by his sister in the company of four other males in Derrimut at 9pm on Friday “We believe there may have been other people present at the park who may have run off,” Thomas said on Saturday “We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have footage or seen anything to contact Crime Stoppers.” Thomas said the man was not known to police and the incident “did not appear to be gang-related” Police at the scene in the early hours of Saturday.Credit: Nine News He confirmed several knives were found in the area but said they would need to be forensically examined before they could be linked to the stabbing Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here. Several knives were found near a suburban park in Melbourne\\u2019s west where a man died from stab wounds early on Saturday morning. Emergency services were called to Balmoral Park, Derrimut about 4.20am following reports a man had been stabbed. Witnesses performed CPR before paramedics arrived, but the 28-year-old local man died at the scene. Detective Inspector Dean Thomas, of the homicide squad, said the victim was last seen by his sister in the company of four other males in Derrimut at 9pm on Friday. \\u201CWe believe there may have been other people present at the park, who may have run off,\\u201D Thomas said on Saturday. \\u201CWe are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have footage or seen anything to contact Crime Stoppers.\\u201D Thomas said the man was not known to police and the incident \\u201Cdid not appear to be gang-related\\u201D. He confirmed several knives were found in the area, but said they would need to be forensically examined before they could be linked to the stabbing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report online at . Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. . The Leakes Road Duplication Project involves expanding Leakes Road to two lanes in each direction between Tarneit Road and Derrimut Road installing traffic signals at the intersection of Penrose Promenade and Crossway Avenue and upgrading and enhancing pathways to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists The Leakes Road Duplication Project forms part of our Connecting Wyndham Strategy and is a crucial investment in our infrastructure and sustainable transportation network for all residents and visitors This project is projected to be delivered by mid-2026 The new Deer Park Station has been nominated for an Australasian Rail Industry sustainability award thanks to the environmentally focused design of the project The elevated station was built during the removal of the level crossing at nearby Mt Derrimut Road in 2023 When it opened it was the first station to use structural concrete made with recycled plastic which reduced the carbon footprint of the concrete by 40% A further 300 tonnes of carbon have also been saved every year thanks to hundreds of solar panels on the station’s new bus shelters which help provide an alternative energy source to power the precinct Cooling features were also included in the new station precinct to help reduce heat and create a cooler suburb for locals with more than 500 new and upgraded car parks sealed with CoolSeal a sealing agent that reduces the heat generated by asphalt surfaces and helps to reduce temperatures The precinct also includes Victoria’s first roof top garden on a station building and more than 50,000 new trees shrubs and grasses were planted across the station precinct Deer Park Station has become one of the most sustainable new station precincts in Australia and has set the standard for carbon reduction for generations to come The new station precinct includes lift access to both platforms bus interchange and new and upgraded car parks making it easier than ever for locals to access public transport The Mt Derrimut Road boom gates were down for up to 60% of the morning peak and caused traffic chaos for more than 23,000 vehicles that passed through every day It was the 68th level crossing removed for good with 80 now consigned to history across Melbourne’s suburbs In total 110 level crossings will go by 2030 easing congestion and improving safety on local roads Disturbing details are emerging in the investigation into a young man's death in a suburban park in Melbourne. The man, 28, was found injured at Balmoral Park off the Lennon Parkway at 4.20am on Saturday. Emergency services performed CPR on the man, however he died at the scene. Victorian Police Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said homicide investigators had discovered 'several knives' in Balmoral Park at Derrimut, about 22km west of the CBD, and the man appeared to have suffered stab wounds. 'I believe several knives have been found in the area,' he said. 'Again, are they connected to this? They will have to be forensically examined.' Inspector Thomas said the man was last seen by his sister about 9pm in the Derrimut area, and it is believed he was in the company of four other males. The police are now trying to piece together the movement of the men and they have appealed to members of the public who might have dashcam footage or may have seen something suspicious in the area to come forward. Inspector Thomas also said the police believed there may have been people in the park present with the victim who have 'dispersed'. 'We really don't know but we believe there may have been a number of people here, who may have dispersed and run off,' he said. Some people in the park performed CPR on the victim before the arrival of emergency service personnel. The call to the police came from a person in the park, Inspector Thomas said. 'They appeared in the park and obviously we're trying to piece all that together, to find out what connection they do have to the deceased,' he said. He said the police did not have any evidence to suggest the incident was gang related. 'It appears our (victim) does not have any links to any gang but again, it is still early,' he said. The police notified the victim's family in the morning and it is understood the mother of the man attended the park scene in a distraught state. Forensic police officers continue to scour the park for evidence. 'The most important thing is that we don't rush it,' he said. 'We need to ensure we don't miss anything.' {{message}} Water used to put out Melbourne's massive factory fire on Wednesday posing a risk to pets and aquatic wildlife Almost 200 firefighters responded to the factory fire in Derrimut on Wednesday after a "large chemical explosion" blaze at 11.20am to attack the fire from the ground and the air as thick plumes of smoke billowed into Melbourne's skyline The fire was quickly upgraded from a fifth to a seventh alarm the first time in four years Fire Rescue Victoria has made such a declaration which Deputy Commissioner Michelle Cowling said demonstrated the "dangerous" nature of the blaze.   Several 44-gallon drums at the factory - which contained various hazardous chemicals - were sent flying through the air prompting authorities to close off the adjacent Western Freeway Authorities confirmed on Thursday that while the fire is under control dozens of firefighters will remain on site for “in excess of 24 hours” to continue to suppress the embers Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) Deputy Commissioner Joshua Fisher said fire crews had made significant progress overnight with the assistance of the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service which provided bulk amounts of water and foam This is our first seventh alarm fire since the formation of FRV in 2020 it took in excess of 180 FRV firefighters,” he said on Thursday morning “Our current focus is obviously continuing to suppress this fire management of the atmosphere and the environment surrounding They’ve been exposed to this incident for a long duration so we have lots of support around our firefighters Firefighters battling the intense blaze reported suffering headaches due to the exposure to the toxic smoke as well as fatigue The premise acts as a warehouse for fuel storage as well as a factory where different chemicals are manufactured for a range of applications There are considerable concerns for local aquatic wildlife due to a large volume of toxic chemicals in the water run-off Earlier, during intense explosions at the chemical fire in Derrimut, I captured this drum flying through the air - one of many sent sky-high. Hate to think where they landed. Thankfully it seems to slowly easing now. #melbourne @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/d4BEOqHIxU Chief Environmental Scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency Jen Martin said highly odorous fire water has migrated from the site and into local drains "Because of the sheer volume of the water and the complexity of the drain network some of that fire water has migrated downstream and we’re expecting to see that water move through waterways," she said "Some of these chemicals will be diluted as they move downstream but we know that there are impacts that include highly odorous water that has migrated from this site." but people and their pets are advised to avoid contact with waterways in the area including Cherry Creek and Anderson’s Swamp has been contacted by Sky News and is currently working with WorkSafe and Victoria Police A similar explosion occurred at the business in October 2023 where a 44-year-old man who was working with a Class 3 Dangerous Good was killed The WorkSafe investigation into last year’s fatal chemical explosion is ongoing A spokesperson confirmed WorkSafe staff were on site “WorkSafe is on scene providing technical support to first responders as required and will determine what further action is required.” Toxic smoke is blowing in Derrimut and residents have been advised not to return home as a factory fire continues to rage on in Melbourne’s west A watch-and-act has been issued for Derrimut and surrounding suburbs including Albion There are no reports of injuries and it’s believed everyone has been safely evacuated from the building A Victoria Police Homicide Squad probe is underway after a man died in a Melbourne park while cops in New South Wales are investigating the death of a male in a Sydney park.  A Homicide Squad investigation is underway after a man died in a park in Melbourne's west in the early hours of the morning Emergency services were called to Balmoral Park on Lennon Parkway in Derrimut Witnesses had reported seeing an injured man in the park which is next to a community centre and close to a primary school CPR was performed on the man by emergency services who arrived at the scene but he was unable to be saved The man has not yet been publicly identified which is located across from houses and includes a playground and sporting fields SES personnel were also called to the scene Detectives are now working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the man's death Anyone with information which could assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 police in New South Wales are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man in a park in Sydney's west on Saturday morning Emergency services were called to Auburn Memorial Park on Rawson Street about 6.50am after being alerted to an unconscious man "Officers attached to Auburn Police Area Command attended the scene and performed CPR on the man.. but he could not be revived," NSW Police said in a statement The man is believed to be aged in his 30s but he has not yet been formally identified A massive factory fire caused by a large chemical explosion in Melbourne has been deemed under control four hours after almost 200 firefighters were called to the blaze.  Almost 200 firefighters have successfully managed to bring a massive factory fire in Melbourne's west under control four hours after a "large chemical explosion".  blaze at 11.20am on Wednesday to attack the fire from the ground and the air the first time in four years Fire Rescue Victoria have made such a declaration which Deputy Commissioner Michelle Cowling said demonstrated the "dangerous" nature of the blaze.    a large fireball with bright orange flames erupted from the factory which is located in a large industrial area bordered by the Western Freeway The owner of the business is currently working with WorkSafe and Victoria Police.  "WorkSafe is on scene providing technical support to first responders as required and will determine what further action is required," a spokesperson said A number of 44-gallon drums at the factory - which contained various hazardous chemicals - were sent flying through the air due to the impact of the explosion "The warehouse itself is full with multiple types of chemicals and those drums are being impinged by fire so they are exploding and therefore they launch into the air and land outside of the fire perimeter," Ms Cowling told reporters just after 2pm "Those explosions that you're hearing are those drums so the chemicals that are kept in liquid form are expanding until the pressure gets inside those drums and then they explode "That's why we're encouraging people to stay away." A watch and act message was issued for Albion Residents in the areas affected by the thick smoke coming from the blaze were told to take shelter indoors.  Ms Cowling said there were 180 firefighters at the factory with crews expected to be at the scene for several days due to the fuel load onsite Deep into that factory we've got embers burning "And until we can get close enough - even with our aerial appliances that are on site (and) specialist HAZMAT people on site - we can't get in close enough to cool this fire down it will have to be gone through and make sure everything is out completely "We've also got lots of water run-off so that has to be drained We have to do a whole overall of this site to make sure that it's safe for people that work around this area." The factory - which has been destroyed and will require a total rebuild - is the same site where a fatal blaze occurred last October FRV confirmed the premise acts as a warehouse for fuel storage as well as a factory where different chemicals are manufactured for a range of applications.  paint thinners and industrial solvents.  with police revealing in a statement that "it is believed everyone inside the premises evacuated safely" Workers at nearby factories were also evacuated and Swann Drive shut down No neighbouring properties were impacted.  Road closures were also put in place for the Western Freeway while motorists in the area were told to keep their windows closed and their ventilation on recirculate One motorist driving near the fire took to social media to report: "We felt the fire heat inside the car" We felt the fire heat inside the car#victraffic #Melbourne pic.twitter.com/VidQXAYyIy Terrible factory fire as we flew into Melbourne. We flew right next to the smoke plume 😨😷https://t.co/43cAjEv4wZ pic.twitter.com/33B6rrabEx Travellers flying into Melbourne also took to social media to post images of the massive blaze as seen from their aircraft The fire was deemed under control about 3.30pm WorkSafe Victoria last October launched an investigation into the death of a 44-year-old Hoppers Crossing man following an explosion at the factory "It is understood the 44-year-old man was working with a Class 3 Dangerous Good when the incident occurred," WorkSafe said at the time Firefighters have called on the state government to urgently implement a rolling fleet replacement program after concerns that gaps in Victoria’s firefighting capability were exposed by the worst industrial fire since the creation of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) in 2020 required nearly a quarter of the FRV operational fleet to be deployed to the ACB chemical factory on Swann Drive in Derrimut A critical piece of specialist equipment was absent during the initial response as it had been moved across the city to cover another truck that was out of service for planned maintenance This meant firefighters had to establish positions closer to the fire and to bulk stores of flammable chemicals using equipment that took longer to get in place A 20-year-old fire truck failed twice to produce foam during the fire response Fire Rescue Victoria policies set a 15-year replacement age on fire trucks yet more than 40 per cent of the FRV fleet is already past this age That will rise to more than 60 per cent by the end of 2025 according to the United Firefighters Union (UFU) More than 40 per cent of the fire trucks that attended the Derrimut fire were past their use by date UFU Victorian secretary Peter Marshall said the availability of equipment and equipment failures in the response demanded immediate action “This is the loudest wake-up call we are ever going to get,” he said The price of inaction could well be paid in human lives “Everyone should be concerned by reports that equipment firefighters needed wasn’t there that they were placed closer to the fire and bulk chemical stores as a result that trucks past their use by date had pump failures and that the entire incident had communications blackouts Firefighters in Victoria are going to work every day knowing that their truck might break down “Establishing a rolling fleet replacement program with funding to catch up to this potentially deadly problem and stay ahead of it is a smart responsible and well overdue investment in public protection for the Victorian Government.” A state government spokesperson said it has provided funding to emergency services and they have the equipment they need “We have delivered more than $100 million to ensure our firefighters have the trucks resources and equipment they need to protect Victorians and keep themselves safe,” the spokesperson said “Fire Rescue Victoria’s (FRV) vehicles and equipment are maintained by an expert team to ensure they are both safe to use and ready to respond.” Toxic smoke is billowing in the sky above Melbourne with residents of some suburbs warned to stay indoors after an enormous chemical explosion in the city's west. Firefighters rushed to a huge blaze at Swann Drive in Derrimut, about 30km from the Melbourne CBD, about 11.20am on Wednesday. Thick, black smoke poured into the air - with the force of the explosion so massive it flung a chemical drum hundreds of metres into the sky.  A watch and act alert has been issued for all residents and workers in Albion, Braybrook, Brooklyn, Derrimut, Laverton North, Sunshine, Sunshine West, Tottenham and Truganina.  'Wind is blowing toxic smoke towards the east across Derrimut,' the emergency alert said. 'Anyone located in the area affected by smoke should take shelter indoors immediately.'  Residents away from home have been told not to return while those still in the area told to close all doors, windows and vents.  The factory is located close to a gas pipeline but emergency services have not issued any alerts over the infrastructure. Last year, a worker died and two others were injured in a fire also triggered by an explosion at a factory on Swann Drive. Traffic has been diverted away from the area with outbound lanes of the Western Freeway near the factory and Swann Drive closed until further notice. Drivers in the area have been told to keep their windows up to avoid breathing smoke and have been told not to slow down to see the fire. A Victoria Police spokesman said at this time there have been no reports of injuries. "It is believed everyone inside the premises evacuated safely. "Traffic in the area is expected to be impacted for some time with Swann Drive closed as well as westbound traffic on the Deer Park bypass being stopped for safety." Ambulance Victoria said crews arrived on the scene about 11.15am. "Crews are currently on scene providing health monitoring, no-one has been transported to hospital at this stage," a spokesman said. Melbourne: Chemical explosion sparks large factory fireCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Play Duration: 9 minutes 6 seconds9m Brought to you by Emergency authorities say the massive factory blaze that broke out in Derrimut on Wednesday is now under control, warning people to avoid contact with water in creeks and drains near the site. EPA Victoria Western Metropolitan Region manager Steve Lansdell told Raf Epstein the fire was being monitored closely. "Clearly there's big investigations to come… but the focus of today and coming days is really... protecting Victoria's community and the waterways," he said. MR Express Transport Services national operations manager Dinny Braddock was working two doors down when the fire started, which he told Raf Epstein felt like something out of the movie Die Hard.   "There were fire balls 150 metres into the air, multiple explosions going off, 44-gallon drums landing in our site. It was a bit hairy," he said. Black plumes of smoke rise from a factory fire in Derrimut, in Melbourne's west.(ABC News: Rachel Clayton) Published: 14h agoSun 4 May 2025 at 10:30pm Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Flames and smoke rise from the site of a factory fire in Melbourne in this still image obtained from a social media video Authorities provided an update on Wednesday about a major blast and subsequent fire at a factory in Melbourne's west saying that the blaze was brought under control but left a nearby creek contaminated with chemicals At around 11:20am local time on Wednesday emergency services rushed to Swann Drive in Derrimut in response to a significant factory fire sparked by a chemical explosion "Specialist appliances are on scene A community advice warning has been issued for Albion Truganina," Fire Rescue Victoria said a "Watch and Act" alert was put into effect for the impacted regions urging residents to take shelter indoors immediately as the wind was blowing "toxic smoke toward the East across Derrimut." Located some 17 km west of Melbourne's central business district Derrimut is home to more than 8,000 residents with the suburb's Swann Drive connecting several distribution centers and warehouses A large plume of smoke was spotted drifting over the eastern and western suburbs of Melbourne with Victoria's Environment Protection Authority calling on locals to minimize time outdoors when smoke is present the fire authority announced that the fire was deemed "under control" by the efforts of more than 180 firefighters and various specialist equipment "Our crews have been working around the clock since 11:20am this morning and have brought this significant fire under control," said Fire Rescue Victoria Deputy Commissioner Michelle Cowling "There have been no reports of any injuries to staff or to any of the emergency services on site," Cowling noted The commissioner revealed that the involved factory contained a range of chemicals and Kayes Drain following the industrial fire people were urged to avoid contact with the water downstream of the fire location until further notice and other agencies are working together to fully investigate the cause of this incident It will also take the coming days for fire crews to fully extinguish the fire According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the fire broke out at a site run by the chemical blending manufacturer ACB Group the same place where a worker died in a chemical explosion last year 1.Comments will appear only after being approved by our team so it might be a while before your comment is posted 2.In accordance with the Regulations on Internet News and Information Services and other related laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China comments should not contain anything that is obscene Please [ Login ] to leave a comment China hits back at cyber accusations Richard Marles in Washington for Nato summit Shadow foreign minister weighs in ahead of Nato summit Significant delays out of Brisbane airport amid widespread fog Murder charge after woman’s body found at rubbish tip Chaney urges government to adopt gambling reform measures from Murphy inquiry Anzac Day retail trading ban in NSW to respect veterans Teen to face children’s court after alleged bail breach Woman dies after being struck by a train in Sydney Australia pledges $40m for Tuvalu during PM Feleti Teo’s visit Inquiry into claims of poor animal welfare practices in greyhound racing industry to be announced Government to establish 12 new Indigenous protected areas Wong declares Australia’s ongoing commitment to nuclear non-proliferation Killer crocodile shot after girl taken while swimming ‘We will not stop’: Melbourne uni students attend misconduct hearings over pro-Palestine sit-in Large chemical explosion engulfs Victorian factory NSW premier open to awarding bravery medals to Lalor Park residents Alleged university stabber committed to stand trial New report finds governments at all levels across Australia failing on racism Watch and act alert issued for Derrimut factory fire as wind blows toxic smoke Fire in Melbourne’s west upgraded to ‘seventh alarm’ severity Academics criticise appointment of antisemitism envoy Melbourne factory fire deemed under control Thank you for spending part of your day with us – we will be back tomorrow. Until then, stay safe. Our crews have been working around the clock since 11.20am this morning and have brought this significant fire under control. There have been no reports of any injuries to staff or to any of the emergency services on site. The cause of this fire will be fully investigated by WorkSafe, FRV, Victoria police and other agencies. The factory contained a range of chemicals, including kerosene, fuel, methylated spirits and ethanol. It has been a huge fire and Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters have done an amazing job, relying on their training and professionalism to bring this fire under control in such a short amount of time. Updated at 09.45 CEST10 Jul 202409.20 CESTThis photo EPA Vic has just shared of the fire is incredible … Updated at 09.24 CEST10 Jul 202409.05 CESTFrom AAP: Australia’s environment ministers are dangerously unprepared for the arrival of a virus that’s wiping out wildlife around the world, critics say. A deadly strain of bird flu has been sweeping the globe killing legions of poultry and wild birds but also mammals including seals and sea lions. Domestic animals including dogs, cats and farm animals are also at risk. Experts fear it could reach Australia within months as migratory birds arrive for spring. But the issue wasn’t on the agenda when Tanya Plibersek met with state and territory environment ministers three weeks ago. Invasive Species Council campaigner Jack Gough says response plans are needed for places such as Kangaroo Island, which has the third largest breeding colony of Australian sea lions. This is probably the biggest immediate threat to wildlife we have. This will be on the scale of the black summer bushfires in terms of impact if it turns up. And yet no real preparedness has occurred. Environment departments have washed their hands of the issue because they see it as an agriculture department issue – that is the fundamental problem. Updated at 09.23 CEST10 Jul 202408.42 CESTFrom AAP: The local bourse has lost ground, with overnight testimony by Fed chairman Jerome Powell proving insufficient to break the market out of its trading range. After being down as many as 47.7 points, or 0.6%, in the first hour of trading on Wednesday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index clawed its way to finish 12.9 points lower at 7,816.8, a loss of 0.16%. The broader All Ordinaries dropped 16.9 points, or 0.21%, at 8,058.3. The Australian dollar was buying 67.43 US cents, from 67.46 US cents at Tuesday’s ASX close. Updated at 08.49 CEST10 Jul 202408.29 CESTTens of thousands more truckers needed to keep up with freight demands About 26,000 more drivers are needed to fill gaps in the trucking industry as the sector faces shortfalls across all business sizes and types, according to the National Road Transport Association. With NSW road freight requirements projected to increase 57% by 2040, the association’s chief executive Warren Clark has urged national cabinet to act now: This is not just a crisis for the trucking industry, it’s a crisis for the national economy. The supply chain is the backbone of our economy, and without enough drivers, the entire system is at risk. Updated at 08.33 CEST10 Jul 202408.13 CESTMelbourne factory fire deemed under controlThe large factory fire at Swann Drive in Derrimut is under control, Fire Rescue Victoria has said. The blaze is still expected to rage for days as tens of thousands of residents are told to stay inside. A watch and act alert was issued for residents and workers in Derrimut, Laverton North, Sunshine West and Truganina, with residents near the smoke told to stay inside. More than 180 firefighters have been responding to the fire. FRV’s specialist hazmat and scientific advisers are on site, as well as the Environment Protection Authority. Updated at 08.15 CEST10 Jul 202407.58 CESTAcademics criticise appointment of antisemitism envoyCaitlin CassidyAcademics have expressed their anger at the appointment of Jillian Segal to special envoy to combat antisemitism, pointing to her lobbying for vice-chancellors to bring disciplinary action against pro-Palestine student protesters. In May, a media release from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry that followed a meeting with Group of Eight vice-chancellors, convened by the department of education, quoted Segal who “stressed the importance of universities upholding their respective codes of conduct and bringing disciplinary action against those found to be in breach”. ECAJ welcomed the commonwealth’s decision to appoint its past president, Segal, to the position, saying in a statement she would bring “deep knowledge of the issues and immense energy to the role”. But Dr Ben Eltham, president of the NTEU Monash branch, said the appointment of a former lobbyist raised “some troubling questions for university staff and students”. “We know that Ms Segal personally lobbied vice-chancellors to take disciplinary action against peacefully protesting students. That was a bad faith intervention, which mischaracterised what students were actually protesting about … we don’t need an envoy: we need university leaders to listen to their students and staff calling for ceasefire and divestment from military research.” Dr Jordana Silverstein, a senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Law School, labelled the appointment “unacceptable”, adding “everyone involved … needs to be condemned”. Updated at 08.04 CEST10 Jul 202407.37 CESTAndrew MessengerMurder trial begins for Toowoomba Saints religious sect The trial of 14 members of the Toowoomba Saints religious sect for the alleged murder of 8-year-old Elizabeth Struhs has begun. It’s been more than two years since the young girl died as a result of her type one diabetes. Parents Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs and Jason Richard Struhs and others allegedly denied her insulin for several days and instead prayed for her health. Elizabeth died on January 7, 2022. Religious leader Brendan Stevens and Jason Struhs face charges of murder, on the basis they denied her insulin in the knowledge that doing so would probably cause her death. Kerrie Struhs faces a charge of manslaughter on the same basis. Dozens of journalists and others turned up to watch today’s hearing. As a result, the main courtroom is completely full and the overflow room is also near full. Today’s hearing is expected to run until about 4.15pm this afternoon. Zachary Struhs is charged with manslaughter on the basis that by his words and actions, he counselled, aided or procured Elizabeth’s parents to unlawfully kill her. Loretta Stevens, Therese Stevens, Andrea Stevens, Acacia Stevens, Camellia Stevens, Alexander Stevens, Sebastian Stevens, Keita Martin, Lachlan Schoenfisch and Samantha Schoenfisch face the same charge, as heard during indictment. All 14 defendants refused to plead guilty or not guilty. The trial begun by having indictments by a court officer who then asked the group to enter a plea. They all responded with slight variations of “I enter no plea your honour” or “I enter no plea”. Queensland Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns ordered that a plea of not guilty be entered for all 14. Updated at 07.47 CEST10 Jul 202407.25 CESTAnna Meares says Australia’s Olympians will be safe in Paris amid political turmoil Head of Australia’s Olympic team Anna Meares says she is not worried about recent political turmoil in Paris, with the additional security anticipated in the French capital enough to allay any safety concerns. Sixteen days out from the start of the Games, as Australia formally finalised its team on Wednesday, the team’s chef de mission pointed to last year’s Rugby World Cup as an example of how France has delivered a major event with minimal disruption. We know that there’s been unrest and riots and protests in Paris. This is normal. This is how they express themselves. We have great faith in the French authorities and in the security that they’re putting in place. We’ve got our own plans in place. Updated at 07.10 CEST10 Jul 202406.57 CESTLabor ‘trying to reinvent the wheel’ by appointing special envoy on antisemitism Greens sayThe Greens have accused Labor of “trying to reinvent the wheel instead of backing the solution they already have” after the appointment of a special envoy on antisemitism called on the government to urgently implement a national anti-racism strategy and fully fund the race discrimination commissioner to “ensure all forms of racism are combated” We already have a race discrimination commissioner which is empowered to fight all forms of racism Labor is trying to reinvent the wheel instead of backing the solution they already have Faruqi accused the government of failing to consult the Islamophobia Register ahead of yesterday’s announcement and “hastily” adding the announcement of an anti-Islamophobia envoy “without even a candidate” Muslims facing Islamophobia in this country should not be an afterthought We need a united effort to defeat racism in this country Islamophobia or any other type of racism is by working in solidarity with groups facing hate and racism Continuing from our last post: Dolly’s Dream advisory board member, Genevieve Fraser, said kids in regional Australia – particularly LGBTQ kids – face being cut off and isolated from support networks on social media if a ban is put in place. Alannah and Madeline foundation CEO Sarah Davies said age assurance was a red herring and would give a false sense of security to parents: I think the challenge with ... the News Corp campaign ... running, is that it feels good to anxious parents and grandparents, and it’ll feel good for about five minutes, like a sugar hit, until we realise it’s not actually changing anything. It is highly likely to make things worse. Social media and tech is hugely positive if it is safe to use and age appropriate to use because it gives children and young people access to people like them, tribes, community support. She said the tech needed to be age-appropriate and built safely by design. 10 Jul 202406.45 CESTJosh TaylorOrganisations divided on effectiveness of age assurance tech for social media Organisations focused on child safety, eating disorders, and women’s rights are divided on whether age assurance for social media will be effective, and whether access should be restricted to those 16 and over. Collective Shout, Eating Disorders Families Australia and the Daniel Morcombe Foundation speaking to the federal parliament’s social media inquiry all supported the move to ban children under 16 from accessing social media, but the Butterfly Foundation, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation and Dolly’s Dream all expressed reservations about whether it would be effective and not cause more harm. Collective Shout movement director, Melinda Tankard Reist, said it was risk reduction and that bringing it in would incentivise the technology sector to invest and make it work: We believe that if we implement age assurance technologies and if we can delay access to these social media platforms, you’ll have less children being exposed to porn, to predators, to harmful online content, to bullying, [and] every year of delay means more cognitive development, more maturity and more ability to withstand the harmful elements of these products, which has been shown, are not safe for children in their current form. Updated at 06.50 CEST10 Jul 202406.31 CESTWhat is a seventh alarm fire Just circling back to the factory fire in Derrimut At a press conference, Fire Rescue Victoria firefighter Michelle Cowling said the fire had been upgraded to a seventh alarm (you can read more on this earlier in the blog here) Fire Rescue Victoria said there are different types of alarms, with a seventh alarm signalling a “very significant fire”. Fires are given an alarm rating based on how many resources are required to put the fire out. Because this fire was a chemical fire, additional resources were deployed, hence the seventh alarm rating. Updated at 08.46 CEST10 Jul 202406.28 CESTJosh ButlerTen thousand vapes seized in first week of restrictions, says NSW health minister At the press conference, the NSW health minister, Ryan Park, added that his government was “tracking this literally every day”. He said in the first week of the new restrictions, NSW had seized 10,000 vapes from more than 60 locations: Between illegal tobacco and vapes, we seized over a million dollars’ worth of product. NSW, working with TGA officials together, we’re starting to put a dent in this. Now it’s going to take time, I’ve said that from the very beginning. The reality is, this type of product got ahead of everybody … what we’re focused on is making sure that we reduce the supply, reduce the availability, and reduce the impacts particularly for young people. Updated at 06.33 CEST10 Jul 202406.25 CESTJosh ButlerVape stores closing down amid new regulations says vape stores are closing down and convenience stores are dumping their stock of the products after the government’s latest round of anti-vaping regulations came in last week ones for recreational use) are now banned from sale and can only be legally bought through pharmacies Asked at a press conference today in Sydney about the regulations Butler said the government was “working in close cooperation with state and territory governments to ramp up an enforcement program” We’re getting very significant reports across the country of vape stores starting to close down and of convenience stores Butler added that authorities had seized “more than 3 million vapes just in the last six months so we’re already starting to choke off supply”: we will ramp up these efforts over the coming weeks including particularly here in New South Wales have been working hard to get the arrangements in place to ramp up those enforcement arrangements The identity of a mystery bidder attempting to snap up Courtney and Grant's house during Sunday night's The Block finale has been revealed amid speculation about who will replace Adrian Portelli on the program Billionaire bidder Adrian shocked viewers on Sunday night when he snapped up all five of the properties during The Block's final he then confirmed he won't be returning to The Block next year Daily Mail Australia can reveal Melbourne-based gym owner Nikolaos Solomos who was once almost shot dead by a balaclava-clad man was the man bidding alongside Portelli on Sunday night during Courtney and Grant's auction Host Scott Cam was seen asking the duo if they knew who the mystery 'diamond guy' was referring to him dripping in silver chain jewellery at the auction 'Who is the guy with all the diamonds and all the jewellery Courtney and Grant both confessed they didn't know who he was but said he was still 'welcome' to buy the house before it was ultimately snapped up by Portelli for $3.3million Solomos was seen standing directly next to Portelli during the nail-biting bidding war leading to speculation he will be replacing the bidder amid his exit is the founder of family-run business Derrimut 24:7 gyms which has an extensive list of branches around Victoria and South Australia The ambitious entrepreneur wants to have 300 gyms operating in Australia and internationally by 2030 and he currently boasts 27 gyms in Australia alone his vast gym empire is arguably best known for working with Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger who jetted Down Under to help promote the business Schwarzenegger famously visited the Ravenhall gym branch in 2013 to address 1,400 bodybuilding fans in a meet-and-greet as part of a speaking tour As well as founding a successful gym empire Solomos also made headlines in June 2015 when he survived an attempted murder attempt He was confronted by a balaclava-clad man in his driveway before two shots were fired through his car window, according to reports at the time The shots narrowly missed him and Solomos managed to escape with just 'minor injuries' from the shattered glass Solomos told reporters he didn't have any known enemies and did not owe any money 'It happened in a split second. By the time I got a visual on the person standing with the balaclava it was too late to do anything — the shots were fired,' he told the Herald Sun at the time the Victoria bomb squad were called to the gym owner's home in Burnside over a device attached to his car Police attended the scene and houses were evacuated after the device was found underneath his vehicle It was not explosive and was thought to be a tracker a man was then charged with the assassination attempt stalking and placing a tracking device on his Chrysler 300c his gym empire once again made headlines when a hammer-wielding man caused $500,000 of damage at three gyms in Melbourne's north-west The man arrived at Derrimut 24:7 gym at around 1am on October 20 on a motorbike before breaking into the gym while wearing the business' branded merchandise He then spent almost an hour using a hammer to smash up all of the gyms cardio machines and 220 mirrors on the walls, according to reports at the time. At the time, Solomos called the damage 'a category five tornado', adding: 'I didn't think it was humanly possible you could damage the place so much.' The vandal went on to break into another two gyms in Derrimut and Coolaroo, smashing 700 mirrors and causing more than $500,000 worth of damage. The branch has since recovered from the shocking vandalism and Solomos often promotes his thriving business on his personal and professional Instagram pages.  As well as running his successful gym empire, Solomos is also a fitness fanatic himself and has a background in football and bodybuilding. In recent years, he has also taken up boxing and joined the professional and celebrity fight night Only Hands on October 23, 2022, at Melbourne Pavilion. He also now appears to be taking a career turn into property after appearing on The Block as a mysterious bidder, leading to speculation about his future on the show.  Though Portelli ended up snapping up all five properties, leaving Solomos empty-handed, there has been much speculation about who will be replacing the prime bidder. Portelli confirmed he won't be returning for another year on The Block following his record-breaking purchases in Sunday night's auction finale. 'I think this was my final year, I think this is the final one, I'm going to hang my boots up after this,' he told 9Entertainment. Solomos has not made any mention of his brief appearance on The Block on any of his social media as it appears to be a closely-guarded secret. During Sunday's final, Maddy and Charlotte Harry have become the youngest-ever auction winners of The Block. The sisters, who were latecomers to the 2024 series, took home an eye-watering $1.65million profit after Portelli bought their home for $3.5million. Maddy, 24, and Charlotte, 22, also took home an extra $100,000 for their monumental victory. The Block regular also purchased the other four Phillip Island properties on the night, spending a total of $15.03million.  {{message}} Smoke due to a factory fire billows over houses in Melbourne in this screen grab obtained from social media Authorities in the Australian state of Victoria said on Friday that there is no indication of the massive factory fire in Melbourne being suspicious Fire Rescue Victoria confirmed in a statement that 20 firefighters and five appliances are still working on the scene after a significant chemical explosion caused a huge fire in Derrimut on Wednesday "The incident remains under control but there are still hotspots in inaccessible areas due to structural integrity and site contamination concerns FRV crews will continue to suppress hotspots and take the heat out of locations that are still burning," said the authority FRV investigators are working with WorkSafe and Victoria Police to investigate the incident while there is currently no indication the fire was suspicious FRV Deputy Commissioner Josh Fischer said that authorities would remain at the scene for days if not weeks "This is a complex and dangerous environment there are a lot of hazards associated with this incident so we're taking extreme caution and care as we manage those risks for our firefighters from the time of the incident and into the future," Fischer said The incident unfolded at around 11:20am local time on Wednesday Emergency services rushed to a factory on Swann Drive in Derrimut which contained a range of chemicals including kerosene with toxic smoke billowing toward the east across Derrimut Environment Protection Authority Victoria updated that preventing further environmental damage to waterways continues to be a major focus with more contaminated firewater being pumped away from the area and taken for disposal "EPA advice to avoid contact with the waters there remains in place At this stage," the environmental regulator said also assuring the public that the smoke no longer poses any risk Local media revealed that the industrial facility was operated by the chemical blending manufacturer ACB Group where a worker died in a chemical explosion last year Please [ Login ] to leave a comment.