By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
UPDATE 3.27pm
VicRoads has advised all lanes on the Monash Freeway have re-opened after an aviation fuel spill this morning.
The freeway was opened to traffic shortly after 3pm.
A CFA spokeswoman said the chemical had been leaking from a truck, which was also carrying several “dangerous” chemicals.
xxxx
Earlier
TRAFFIC has been caught in gridlock in Endeavour Hills, Hallam and Dandenong since a liquid chemical spill on the Monash Freeway this morning.
The spill, under the Heatherton Road overpass shortly after 10am, has caused a domino-effect of road closures and slowdowns at South Gippsland Freeway inbound, Heatherton Road and the M1 for several hours.
A CFA spokeswoman said the chemical had spilled from the truck that had been driven along Monash Freeway and parked under the overpass.
“It appears another driver has alerted the truck driver and he has pulled over.”
Up to 12 fire trucks from the CFA and MFB attended the clean-up. The CFA has issued an advice warning for people in the “immediate area” to turn off air-conditioning and monitor the situation.
A ‘perfect storm’ of incidents intensified the traffic congestion in Dandenong, including a road closure at Dandenong Bypass due to a fatal two-car crash early this morning, a large fire at Sandown Racecourse at 11.30am and a car crash rescue at the Monash Freeway-Eastlink intersection at 11.49am.
Ventura Bus services are reporting delays of about 25 minutes in the Dandenong area.
