NSW Rural Fire Service Archives

Drivers at Belrose faced heavy delays on Mona Vale Road while four agencies worked to free a 77-year-old woman from her rolled car.

Counting the Response

The crash happened on Thursday, 24 September Just before 10:30 a.m., Triple Zero (000) operators began taking calls about a car that had left the road near the Greenwood Landfill & Waste Recovery Facility, the Northern Beaches Advocate reported. Four ambulance crews, three police units, crews from two Rural Fire Service stations and one specialist rescue team from Fire and Rescue NSW went to the scene. Four agencies, one stretch of road, and a lot of people with different jobs to do.

NSW Ambulance’s four crews included Intensive Care Paramedics and Inspector Melissa McGovern. The police units came from Northern Beaches Police Area Command. Rural Fire Service volunteers arrived from the Terrey Hills and Ku-ring-gai stations, and the rescue specialists were from Fire and Rescue NSW’s Gordon station.

What the Crews Found

The car was reported to be heading east when it went through the median strip. It then rolled across the westbound lanes and hit trees beside the road, setting off every airbag. It came to rest in bushes just before the waste facility’s entry. The woman was alone in the car, semiconscious and trapped.

What does a rescue like this look like from the roadside? Three things were happening at the same time. Volunteers ran out a hose line in case the car caught fire. Paramedics checked the woman’s condition. Rescue firefighters worked out how to reach her. Once the plan was set, hydraulic tools pried open the driver’s door, and crews moved her onto an ambulance stretcher.

Hospital and Injuries

Paramedics assessed a severe crush and amputation injury to her right hand, along with injuries to her lower legs. They were also concerned about possible internal and spinal injuries, so Intensive Care Paramedics treated her at the roadside before she was moved. Shortly after 11 a.m., she was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a serious condition. The Advocate’s report did not give a later update.

NSW Police are investigating the cause. No other vehicles appear to have been involved. It is suspected the woman may have had a medical episode before the car left the road, though police have not released any findings.

Slow Going on Mona Vale Road

One westbound lane was closed during the rescue and the police investigation. Heavy traffic built up from the Forest Way end of the road and lasted into the afternoon. The scene was cleared just after 3 p.m.

This is general guidance and is not linked to any finding about this crash. Drivers in NSW must tell Transport for NSW as soon as possible about medical conditions recommended for notification, and the agency may add licence conditions or ask for a medical assessment. A GP is the best first stop for anyone unsure whether a health condition affects their driving.

Published Date 01-October-2026

A Duffys Forest fire truck has been destroyed and a near-new Terrey Hills tanker has been damaged after Northern Beaches RFS volunteers were caught in a hazard-reduction fire that escaped containment in Sydney’s south-west.

The planned 41-hectare burn between Katanna Road and Minerva Road at Wedderburn began at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 26 September, after two successful test fires. About 100 firefighters were involved, including crews from Duffys Forest, Terrey Hills, Davidson and Tumbledown Dick.

Crews retreat as fire intensifies

Conditions changed at about 4:00 p.m., when a sudden wind change intensified the fire. Northern Beaches crews were working near Winton Close at the time, with local reporting saying 19 firefighters were forced into a rapid retreat as the flames approached.

RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said some firefighters were away from their tankers when the fire came through and withdrew to a nearby property. Emergency spray systems on the tankers were activated, and firefighters resumed operations after retreating from the area.

Additional resources, including two helicopters, were sent in. One volunteer firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and chest pain and was taken to hospital as a precaution before being released, while 17 others were assessed and cleared by paramedics.

Duffys tanker lost to flames

Three Northern Beaches firefighting vehicles were directly affected. The destroyed vehicle was reported to be Duffys Forest Rural Fire Brigade’s large Category 1 tanker, which was about two years old. A near-new Terrey Hills truck and an appliance from Tumbledown Dick were also damaged but were believed to be salvageable.

About 20 Northern Beaches firefighters had been deployed to the operation. Around a dozen volunteers were later collected from Wedderburn RFS Station by RFS buses and returned to the Northern Beaches at about 9:00 p.m.

*Photo Credit: NSW Rural Fire Service – Cumberland/Macarthur District/Facebook*

Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby said she had been in contact with affected RFS members and understood the Duffys Forest crew had been cleared following assessments by ambulance teams. She thanked the volunteers involved and called for a new truck for the brigade following the loss.

Brigade loses key appliance

Duffys Forest Rural Fire Brigade operates from a $2.4 million station opened in 2023 with four truck bays. The facility also serves as a base for the Northern Beaches Remote Area Firefighting Team. At the time of its opening, the RFS recorded more than 160 volunteers with the brigade.

Details of replacement arrangements for the destroyed Duffys Forest tanker had not been announced by the RFS at the time of publication.

Investigation follows containment breach

Commissioner Curtin has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Wedderburn burn, with the safety regulator also notified. He said it was too early to determine whether the incident could have been prevented. Minor damage was later identified at two properties.

The investigation comes as the RFS prepares for potentially heightened bushfire risk after what Curtin described as the driest winter on record and confirmed strong El Niño conditions. High temperatures and dry conditions are expected through spring and could extend into summer.

Fire fleet overhaul approaches

The truck loss comes days after legislation was introduced to NSW Parliament to transfer ownership of more than 6,000 RFS vehicles, known as the Red Fleet, from councils to the RFS from 1 July 2027.

The transition is backed by $470 million over 10 years, while a further $106 million over four years has been allocated for critical maintenance and safety upgrades. The NSW Government says centralised ownership is intended to improve fleet reliability, statewide standards and management over the working life of vehicles.

Scruby said the Wedderburn incident reinforced the need for RFS brigades to have reliable equipment as they prepare for the bushfire season.

The investigation into how the planned hazard reduction escaped containment is continuing.

Published 29-Sept-2026

Tag: NSW Rural Fire Service

At least 10 crews respond as woman, 77, is freed from rolled car at Belrose