IT DESTROYED a fire truck in seconds but luckily firefighters have been able to save properties from a rapidly-moving grassfire near Moree.
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The Fire and Rescue NSW tanker was engulfed after crews were called to tackle the inferno swirling around homes along Greenbah Rd near the Mehi River.
“The fire probably changed direction about three times,” Moree Station Commander Scott Beers said.
“The crews thought they were in a safe position and they just got caught unawares.”
Luckily, none of the crews were near the truck at the time.
“It could have been a lot worse, we
can always replace equipment but we
can’t replace our firefighters,” Commander Beers said. The alarm was raised after several calls to triple-zero with concerns properties were in danger of the fire burning along the riverbank.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews were backed up by RFS tankers to fight the blaze which was fuelled by hot and windy conditions.
Commander Beers said the fire was raging under the worse conditions experienced all week.
“It was a very difficult and dangerous one,” he said.
“What was a fairly manageable fire became a different situation because of the wind changes. We evacuated the residents from the properties in danger, then continued to extinguished the fire.”
No properties were destroyed and Fire and Rescue NSW were able to call in a replacement fire truck from the region.
They were able to resume work about 11pm on Monday.