Firey’s plea for safety

AN OFF-duty firefighter, among the first on scene of a single-vehicle rollover, has implored motorists to take car on the roads.

Lieutenant Ryan Lucht, from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services’ Goombungee station, came across the crash about 6pm Tuesday on Goombungee Meringandan Rd at Muniganeen, near Meringandan West.

“The vehicle was very badly damaged and was off the road in a ditch on its side,” Lt Lucht said.

Another passing motorist had phoned 000 and checked the female inside the car, keeping her calm before paramedics arrived.

She was later taken to Toowoomba Hospital with knee pain.

“It definitely had the potential to be a much more serious crash,” Lt Lucht said.

“She (the driver) was in a little bit of shock, as you would expect, but she was surprisingly very calm.”

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

The busy thoroughfare road was slippery due to an afternoon shower of rain, and Lt Lucht urged drivers to be mindful of conditions.

“Lighter showers have the potential to be more dangerous because it’s not quite enough to wash off the oils from the roads,” he said.

“We’ve just come through a dry spell, so be mindful of that.”

Lt Lucht praised the actions of the woman first on scene for calming the driver, and QFES crews from the Goombungee station for quickly securing the area and controlling traffic.

“The crews did an extremely good job in their response,” he said.

The crash occurred on a sharp corner on the busy road with the vehicle left on its side in a drainage ditch.

It blocked one lane with traffic backed up for more than an hour before the scene was cleared.