WorkSafe probes

By Hamish Heard
WORKSAFE investigators are probing the death of a VicRoads contractor who was hit by a runaway truck tyre at Spotswood last week.
The man was mowing beside the West Gate Freeway when two wheels and a section of axle broke away from a semi trailer before colliding with his ride-on mower.
The accident happened on the inbound lanes of the freeway just before the West Gate Bridge last Monday.
A Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokesperson said paramedics were called at 1.30pm but the 52-year-old Rockbank man was already dead when an ambulance crew reached the scene.
Police said the runaway wheels travelled 225 metres after they broke away from the truck and bounced off a guard rail, the median strip, a pole and a tree before hitting the man.
The victim was reportedly married with children.
A VicRoads spokeswoman described the death as a “freak occurrence” but said the organisation would co-operate with WorkSafe if any measures were identified that could prevent it happening again.
“VicRoads expresses its deepest sympathy to his family, friends and work colleagues,” the spokeswoman said.
“The investigation into the incident has begun and counselling has been arranged for employees,” she said.
Police closed the Williamstown Rd off-ramp on the Geelong side of the freeway for two hours while they investigated the incident and cleared the scene.
The driver of the truck was treated for shock at the scene.

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