THE City of Greater Bendigo is “concerned” with the speed a fire truck exited the Easter Gala Parade on Sunday after it was called to a fire, and has raised the matter with the CFA which is reviewing the incident.
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The future use of on-call tankers in Easter parades will be considered as part of the review.
The tanker was participating in the parade when it was called to a structure fire in Long Gully at 1.25pm, and had to pass others involved in the parade – including people marching – before exiting at the finish.
A CFA spokesperson said the tanker was about “three quarters” of the way through when it was required to leave, and was called upon as it was the closest tanker to the fire “despite being involved in the parade”.
Witnesses described seeing the tanker increase its speed on Pall Mall and Bridge Street, while marshals and security herded people back. It passed within several metres of children who were lining the streets at the time.
City of Greater Bendigo tourism and major events manager Terry Karamaloudis said the council will take its advice from the CFA if on-call trucks will be used in future parades.
“The city will support the CFA in reviewing this incident. It is a matter for the CFA to decide if it will have ‘on-call’ trucks participate in the parade in future,” he said.
“The city is concerned with the speed at which the participating fire trucks exited the parade and has raised this matter with the CFA.”
Mr Karamaloudis said marshals and event security ensured spectators were not on the road at the time, and there were no injuries from the incident.
“The city has procedures in place to allow parade participants to exit if they need to,” he said.
It was one of several CFA call-outs during the parade, which started at 1pm. A tanker attended a non-structure fire in Epsom at 12.59pm, a structure fire was reported on Strata Court in Long Gully at 1.25pm, and a hazardous material incident at the Parmalat factory was called in at 1.45pm.
A CFA spokesperson said a number of factors will be considered when the incident is reviewed, including the appropriateness of having on-call tankers involved in parades.
“The CFA will be reviewing the incident,” she said.
“The members exited the route at the closest and safest point in order to attend the incident in a timely manner.”
The spokesperson said tankers called out to other incidents during the parade did not cut into the route.