An army driver has been left embarrassed after crashing a military vehicle into a petrol station and causing extensive damage.
The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon at an Ampol petrol station in Sarina, a rural town south of Mackay in North Queensland.
The MAN armored truck was part of a convoy of vehicles traveling from Brisbane to Townsville for the Vigilant Scimitar exercise.
The driver of the truck didn’t seem particularly vigilant; he reportedly misjudged the height of the gas station roof and crashed straight into it.
Photos circulating on social media showed the truck firmly wedged under the collapsed roof on the forecourt.
There is extensive damage to the support beams of the crumpled roof and to the gas pumps that were hit by the truck.
According to a police spokeswoman, the two occupants managed to escape safely.
Photos circulating on social media show the servo looking like a war zone, with the truck wedged tightly under the collapsed roof
There is extensive damage to the support beams of the crumpled roof and the petrol pumps after being hit by the truck
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) spokesperson said servo crews had turned off power to the fuel line
A police spokeswoman said two people were in the truck and managed to get out of the vehicle safely
Gas station personnel turned off power to the fuel line and the incident did not result in a fuel leak or potential fire.
A Department of Defense spokesperson said: ‘Defence is working with Queensland Police to secure the area and remove the vehicle from the site.’
‘Defense thanks the public for their understanding.’
An Ampol spokesperson advised engineers to determine the extent of the damage.
“A report will then be provided to the owner which will determine the site’s operational options,” the spokesperson said.
The gas station trades as an Ampol, but is not owned by the company.
The truck remained pinned down overnight after the incident while the site was assessed.