This was published 7 months ago
Six thousand litres of diesel floods Melbourne high-rise tower
By Lachlan Abbott
Six thousand litres of diesel fuel flooded corridors and dripped through ceilings in a Melbourne CBD high-rise office on Tuesday morning.
Fire Rescue Victoria said it was called to the William Street building shortly before 8am and evacuated 160 occupants.
Firefighters on the scene of the hazardous material spill.
“[Fire Rescue Victoria] investigated and found a leak from a diesel fuel line on the 21st floor that spilled across four levels, down to the 18th floor,” a spokesperson said on Tuesday afternoon.
“A total of 35 firefighters attended the scene and through swift action contained the leak and spill which involved about 6000 litres.”
Fire Rescue said occupants had reported “diesel fuel flooding through corridors and dripping through ceilings”.
The leak was contained on Tuesday morning, but a Fire Rescue spokesperson said firefighters were expected to remain at the scene for several hours after placing absorbent on the spill to soak it up.
The scene in William Street this morning.
The 15 William Street building’s general manager, Michael Cooper, clarified to The Age that the building was an office tower and had no homes. An earlier Fire Rescue statement had erroneously said apartments had been affected.
The diesel line that ruptured fed a generator, Cooper said. “We’re still trying to get a handle on it,” he said on Tuesday morning.
“It has been isolated and contained … we’re just sort of in the hands of the fireys right now.”
The tower has more than 40,000 square metres of office space spread across 20 levels, its website says. Global commercial real estate service CBRE manages the building.
Firefighters in Flinders Lane this morning.
Tenants include the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on the fourth floor.
Police and Ambulance Victoria were also on the scene at the corner of Flinders Lane and William Street. Ambulance Victoria said it was called at 7.55am.
“There are no patients at this stage,” a spokesperson said shortly before 10am. “Crews remain on scene for health monitoring.”
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correction
Fire Rescue Victoria initially said the diesel spill affected apartments. But, the building manager later clarified to The Age that there are no residential apartments in the building, only offices.