A major emergency unfolded at the Transgrid depot in Callaghan on Tuesday afternoon when a truck became engulfed in flames, triggering immediate evacuations and a massive response from fire crews.
Thick, black smoke billowed into the sky around 3:45pm, visible from across Newcastle as the intense blaze took hold of the vehicle. Emergency services rushed to the scene on University Drive, where the situation quickly escalated.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) confirmed they dispatched multiple units to tackle the dangerous inferno. "The fire involved a truck at the location, and all persons have been evacuated," a FRNSW spokesperson stated.
Emergency Response and Precautions
The nature of the fire prompted specialists to assess potential hazards:
- Hazmat crews were called to evaluate chemical risks
- Nearby workers were immediately cleared from the area
- University Drive experienced traffic disruptions
- Multiple firefighting units worked to contain the blaze
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with authorities working to determine what sparked the dramatic incident. No injuries have been reported, though the intense heat and smoke created dangerous conditions for workers at the essential infrastructure facility.
Transgrid, which operates NSW's high-voltage electricity transmission network, has yet to comment on whether the incident will affect power infrastructure operations in the region. The depot serves as a critical maintenance and operations base for the energy provider.
