Concerned residents want bollards at dangerous Southbank crash site
Concerned residents are calling for urgent safety work at the Southbank intersection where a truck ploughed into a group of people, including an extreme measure.
Police & Courts
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There are calls for bollards to be installed at the dangerous intersection where a truck ploughed into a group of people on Thursday night.
The Southbank Residents Association have slammed the state government for failing to take immediate action on the notorious and congestion City Rd and Power St intersection.
They want a full ban on trucks in the area, but the group’s president Tony Penna said interim measures like bollards or large cement blocks would ease community concern.
But the state government says it’s too early to reveal what measures, if any, will be taken to increase safety.
“We know major changes to an intersection takes time, but when a pedestrian is standing on the corner, there’s an immediate problem,” Mr Penna said.
“The solution is to get rid of the trucks (but) bollards would certainly be a temporary measure to protect people.”
Mr Penna said authorities had “no choice but to put something there” to avoid a catastrophe.
“It would just look worse if they do nothing and another accident happens,” he said.
A night before the crash, the residents association agreed to mount a GoPro on a nearby building to capture the near misses of trucks travelling through.
Mr Penna, who can see the intersection from his apartment, claims at least 50 per cent of trucks hit the kerb, while others illegally veer into the right hand lane to take a wide turn.
HORROR FOOTAGED AIRED IN COURT
Horror footage played in court showed the split seconds five pedestrians were wedged between a B-double truck’s trailers and knocked down like dominoes from behind.
One man continues to fight for life while four other people were in a stable condition as truck driver Frank Rogers, 64, was bailed on Saturday and permitted to drive a car.
Rogers faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court charged with two counts of driving in a dangerous manner causing serious injury over the City Rd collision, about 7pm on Thursday.
The court heard Rogers told police he “felt a bump” when he turned into Power St, allegedly sweeping up four pedestrians, a food delivery cyclist and a traffic light.
But believing the bump was the rear axel mounting the kerb, he drove back to the truck depot then home to Wyndham Vale — where he was found by police almost three hours later.
“He denied any knowledge of injury to pedestrians,” said Detective Leading Sen Con Ben Oliver, from the Major Collision InvestigationUnit.
“I believe there was sufficient evidence from the movement of the cabin and the trailer to suggest there was some knowledge a collision did occur.”
Footage from the truck’s side camera captured the incident “in its entirety” and was played twice to the court.
It showed the truck turn left into Power St and its two trailers folding into each other, wedging the pedestrians between the trailers before they were struck down, dropping on to each other like dominoes.
Rogers watched the footage from the dock until it showed the pedestrians fall, and turned his eyes downward.
Det Sen Con Oliver said the cabin of the truck was shown in the footage to move “significantly” and said given Rogers’ “negligent failure to stop … it certainly raises some concerns”.
“The way it moves about I would suggest it shows more than just hitting a kerb, in my opinion.”
The court was told Rogers’ charges could be upgraded depending on whether the victims “succumb” to their injuries.
Police opposed bail out of concern for Rogers “endangering safety to the public”.
But Magistrate David Starvaggi granted bail on the condition he surrender his passport, which means he won’t be able to visit his girlfriend in Thailand.
Mr Starvaggi allowed Rogers to continue driving vehicles under 4.5 tonne, but banned him from driving any car pulling a trailer.
Rogers, wearing a face mask and brown T-shirt with a “Superdry” logo, stood briefly when Mr Starvaggi asked if he’d understoodhis orders not to drive heavy vehicles.
“Yep … I understand sir,” he replied.
The court heard Rogers had been driving trucks for 40 years, was familiar with the intersection and had no prior criminal history.
Defence barrister Stephanie Gillahan told the court Lord Mayor Sally Capp had given interviews outlining ongoing issues withthe section of road where the collision occurred.
She said the matter was “very likely” to go to trial.
But the prosecution hit back, saying “the intersection isn’t the danger, Your Honour, it’s the person driving the truck”.
“The back doesn’t follow where the front goes.”
Rogers had a blood sample taken, with results to be received within weeks.
Det Sen Con Oliver said police were not aware of any history of drug or alcohol abuse.
Rogers was bailed to his Wyndham Vale home, where he lives with another truck driver.
He will return to court on September 27.
The 64-year-old Wyndham Vale man allegedly struck the pedestrians and knocked over a traffic light on Thursday night, then drove off.
Mr Rogers “maintains he was unaware of the incident” according to a statement released by his employer, K & S Group.
Three of the pedestrians, all in their 20s, were in the Royal Melbourne Hospital on Friday night.
Two men were in a serious condition and a woman was in a stable condition.
Another two pedestrians were rushed to The Alfred hospital on Thursday.
Witness Jan Martz said she looked out over her balcony seconds after the crash about 7pm to discover the horrifying moment two of the three pedestrians lay motionless on the ground.
“I thought they were dead because they didn’t move at all,” Ms Martz said.
“I could see the one guy’s leg sticking out and there was just no movement.”
She described the scenes as “nightmarish”.
“I heard all the sirens (and) came out of my balcony,” she said.
“Sadly, I saw the gentleman that was right here and two other guys.
“He was laying on the sidewalk … maybe a foot into the pedestrian crossing … and then the others were on the other side. He was moving, I could tell he was alive. I’ve never heard somebody scream like that before. It was eerie, it was nightmarish.”
A Victoria Police spokesman said the B-double truck trailer mounted the footpath as the vehicle turned left on to Power St from City Rd, striking pedestrians and felling a traffic light. The truck did not stop.
The truck driver’s company said Mr Rogers had worked for them for almost a decade.
“Our thoughts are with the people and families of those involved,” K & S chief executive Paul Sarant said.
“It’s obviously a very serious matter which is being fully investigated by the police and the company.
“He has been working for the company for nearly 10 years and was on his way to the depot in a company truck at the end of his shift.”
The company is carrying out an internal workplace health and safety investigation.
A car driver who witnessed the horrific scenes followed the B-double and then called police on Thursday night.
Authorities tracked a truck driver down in Truganina, 23km west of the CBD.
Police and others inspected what was believed to be the truck involved at a depot in Truganina on Friday.
Shipping containers were moved to block the truck from public view.
Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said the stress from such incidents often came back to haunt crews. They get good initial support, but it’s the follow-up support in the weeks and months after where the demons start to creep in,” he said.
“It’s incomparable, the stress of a case like that, and you just can’t compare it. Particularly for the crews that arrived first on scene, they’re just confronted with an absolute mess. They call it a war zone for a reason. It feels that way.”
Police allege that while performing a left hand turn the truck cut the intersection corner and mounted the footpath, taking out the traffic light which fell to the ground.
Melbourne man Hanmant Rachmale is believed to be one of the pedestrians struck by the B-double truck in Southbank.
His friend, Kumar Amrendra, has started a GoFundMe petition to assist him.
On Facebook Mr Amrendra wrote Mr Rachmale’s entire lower body had been crushed and his upper body had innumerable fractures.
“Let’s help the young man and his family in these tough, terrible times. Let’s pray that he comes out of critical condition soon. Please donate generously. Every penny counts,” he wrote.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she wanted “urgent” measures to boost safety at the intersection, which is managed by the state government.
“The crash on the corner of City Rd and Power St was horrendous. Our thoughts are with the people injured and their families and we hope they make a full recovery,’’ Ms Capp said.
“I’ve contacted Roads Minister Ben Carroll and local MP Martin Foley to discuss urgent safety measures that can be delivered swiftly.
“We need to work together to fix this intersection and make it safer for Southbank residents and workers.”
An urgent meeting between Transport Department and city council officials was held late Friday afternoon to discuss actions to improve safety at the state-controlled intersection.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the problem had been around for years, and the council had been working with government agencies to find solutions.
“The first concern when these incidents happen is for the injured and their families, but the next bit has to say this has been an area where we’ve needed to do more and want to do more,” she told the Herald Sun.
“As this horrific situation has happened, we’ve got to make sure that we actually see some results.”
“It’s a busy, complex environment there in the way that industrial and port activity is interacting with what is now a very residential commercial space.”
Government minister and Member for Albert Park Martin Foley on Friday morning paid tribute to those injured in the horrific crash and responded to the safety concerns.
“I want to offer my deepest sympathies … I wish them a speedy recovery,” he said.
“I’m glad the truck driver has been apprehended and is assisting police.”
Mr Foley confirmed he had spoken to Melbourne City Council and Lord Mayor Sally Capp to discuss the “densely populated” area of City Road and Power Street.
He said a large number of vehicles utilised that area to enter and exit the freeway.
“I’ve already been in contact with our friends from public transport and roads and the City of Melbourne as to what can be done to make sure that kind of tragic set of circumstances isn’t repeated,” he said.
Peter Duras, who lives nearby, said trucks carrying dangerous loads such as fuel or livestock were pushed into the city because they weren’t allowed to use the Burnley or Domain tunnels.
“It’s been concerning for years, as the area has built up more and more,” he said.
Mr Duras walked past the crash 20 minutes after it happened and said it was “carnage”.
“My stomach just turned,” he said.
“It was just horrifying to see people lying everywhere.
Mr Duras said he had seen trucks mounting the narrow kerb for years and that “something needed to be done”.
Jill Patel, who lives in an apartment next to the intersection, said he would stop walking on the footpath where the crash occurred.
“I’m going to go the back way now,” he said.
Local resident Zakia Dosti said she was “pretty scared” by the incident.
“Trucks always speed around that corner and they use it to get on to the freeway,” she said.
Ms Dosti, who has only lived in a nearby apartment for a month, said she wouldn’t walk around the corner again.
Ambulance Victoria CEO Tony Walker said paramedics on scene would be provided support in the days following the incident.
“It’s certainly an incredibly confronting scene … To have young people injured in that way, it does have an impact,” he said.
“We have certainly provided support to them.”
Debris could be seen strewn across the crash site as police took photos of the scene.
A Fire Rescue Victoria spokesman said the accident caused “significant traffic issues” in the area as police had to divert traffic away from the site.
An FRV spokesman said they arrived within four minutes of the first call.
VicRoads, CityLink and CitiPower also helped clear the crash.
Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit were still at the scene late on Thursday night.
Investigators had not determined if the driver was aware he had struck the pedestrians.
A replacement traffic light was installed and operational by Friday morning with rush-hour congestion returning to normal.
Tyre tracks and markings on the footpath were the only sign of the previous night’s carnage.
Pedestrians walking past inspected the footpath, clearly aware of the tragedy that had taken place.
— With Brendan Rees and John Masanuaskas
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 18000 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au
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