THE BEAT: Man dies in single vehicle crash

A man has passed in a single vehicle crash while he was working on a private property. DETAILS >>

For the latest, follow The Beat, the Mercury’s live breaking news blog with the latest traffic, police, fire and ambulance news across the state.

FATAL: Workplace crash on private property

5pm, Monday March 21

A man has passed in a single vehicle crash while he was working on a private property.

Tasmania Police said the Westpac Rescue Helicopter flew to the workplace incident at Colebrook Rd, Campania on Monday afternoon following a report an excavator had rolled about 12.35pm.

Police and emergency services also attended.

A generic image of an excavator. A man has died following an excavator rollover at Campania, Tasmania.

“The driver of the excavator, a man in his 80s, was sadly located deceased,” Tasmania Police said.

“Police and WorkSafe Tasmania will investigate and prepare a report for the Coroner.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and loved ones of the man.”

Police investigate crash at Devonport business

10:40pm, Sunday March 20

At around 10.40pm emergency services were called to a crash on Forbes Street, where the driver of a late model dark coloured Holden sedan had lost control of their vehicle and crashed into a business, causing a significant amount of damage.

The business was unattended at the time, and no injuries were reported.

The driver, a 25-year-old man from Tugrah, was taken into custody at the scene and later charged with drink driving and other traffic related offences. He was bailed to appear before the Court at a later date.

Police are seeking public information from anyone who witnessed the car crash in Devonport last night, or the vehicle prior to the crash.

Anyone who saw the crash or the vehicle prior in the vicinity of Middle Road or Forbes Street is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000. Information can be provided anonymously.

Planned burn, North West

Monday, March 21

North West residents are being warned of smoke around the Burnie area today as Sustainable Timbers conducts a planned burn at Upper Natone today.

The aim of the burn is to regenerate harvested forests and reduce fuel loads on the Permanent Timber Production Zone.

The burn will be conducted to the south of Upper Natone with moderate smoke forecast to travel to the south and south west.

Fire at heritage-listed building, Prospect

7pm, Sunday March 20

Tasmania Police are investigating what they believe to be a suspicious blaze that damaged a heritage listed building known as “The Gatehouse” at Prospect overnight.

Emergency services arrived at the scene around 7pm to find the empty building well-alight and managed to put out the blaze shortly after.

The property had been derelict for a number of years and was previously damaged by fire in December 2018 and had not been repaired.

Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the fire or has information or dash cam footage of the area to contact Launceston Police on 6777 3945.Information can also be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperstas.com.au

Three-car crash on Midland Hwy

12:53pm, Sunday March 20

The crash scene is now clear and the Midland Highway has been reopened.

Sunday, March 20

Three cars have collided in a prang near a popular rest spot along the major Midland Hwy.

Police and emergency services attended the incident near the busy servo and takeaway meal hub Mood Food at Kempton.

Tasmania Police issued a statement about the incident at 12.13pm Sunday saying there had been no serious injuries reported, but traffic was being diverted through Mood Food.

By 12.53pm, the scene had been cleared and usual highway traffic had resumed.

House fire, Gagebrook

Thursday, March 17

Firefighter crews have managed to extinguish a roaring house fire in Gagebrook after it went alight on Thursday afternoon.

Emergency services received a call at around 5.50pm, and three fire trucks from Bridgewater and Glenorchy rushed to the scene.

3 Boronia Place, Gagebrook. Picture: realestate.com.au

By the time they arrived the house was fully engulfed, but they managed to extinguish the fire by around 6.15pm.

The matter is now in the hands of Tasmania Police, who will be investigating the cause of the fire.

Dolphins rescued, West Coast

Rescuers managed to save 10 dolphins after they beached themselves near Macquarie Heads on the West Coast of Tasmania on Tuesday.

They were spotted by a local passer-by who called the Marine Conservation Program’s whale hotline on Tuesday morning.

A total of 15 dolphins had washed ashore overnight, but five of them were already dead by the time rescuers arrived on the scene.

LIFE SAVERS: Rescuers save 10 dolphins washed ashore at Macquarie Heads on the West Coast of Tasmania. Picture: Tasmania Police

Workers from the Marine Conservation Program, Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania Police and members of the public successfully refloated the 10 surviving dolphins.

A Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania spokesman said this was not the first time locals had sprung into action to rescue marooned wildlife.

“The rescue success was, in part, due to the knowledge of the local departmental staff, police and community obtained through their experience during the mass pilot whale stranding at Macquarie Heads in September 2020,”

Macquarie Heads.

“Parks and Wildlife Service staff will continue to monitor the area for any animals that become stranded again. Post-mortem investigations of the deceased animals will be conducted by a NRE Tas vet and Marine Conservation Program biologists in coming days.”

To report a stranding or sighting of whales and dolphins in Tasmania, you can call the whale hotline on 0427 942 537 (0427 WHALES).