Transport chiefs probe latest bus fire

PREVIOUS FIRE: A bus destroyed by fire in Munster. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

PREVIOUS FIRE: A gas-powered bus caught fire in February. Picture: Raymond Porteous Source: PerthNow

ANOTHER Public Transport Authority gas bus has caught fire - this time at a Welshpool depot.

Three fire crews, two from Welshpool and one from Belmont, were called at 9.51pm and had the fire under control within 10 minutes.

A Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said the fire was not considered suspicious, but a cause had not yet been determined.

A Public Transport Authority spokeswoman said an "intensive investigation'' had commenced into the cause of the fire.

"The bus was not in service and there were no passengers or staff on the bus at the time,'' she said.

Last month bus drivers aired their safety fears over gas-fuelled buses after at least 13 fires were recorded over the past five years.The fires related to the Mercedes-Benz OC500 LE model, which is fuelled by compressed natural gas. In four of the fires, the buses were destroyed.On February 10, after a gas-powered bus caught fire and passengers abandoned the service,  Transport Minister Troy Buswell said there were no plans to suspend the fleet's 500 gas buses.

 

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Crash probe: TV star pilot made fatal error

TRAGIC: An inquiry finds a pilot's error was responsible for his death in a Kimberley gorge. Source: PerthNow

AN inquiry into a helicopter crash that killed a pilot in a remote Kimberley gorge has found he fatally blundered by clipping an overhanging rock while taking a solo sightseeing flight.

Angus ``Gus'' Mundell, 40, was flying the Robinson R22 Beta chopper near the Louisa Downs property, a cattle station about 115km south-west of Halls Creek, when it plunged into water at the base of the gorge in October.

Mr Mundell had been working for his brother-in-law Milton Jones, the central identity in reality TV show Keeping up with the Joneses.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation concluded Mr Mundell, who was based in the Northern Territory but living at the nearby Larrawa station at the time of the crash, was not familiar with the gorge when he flew in - and clipped the side of the cavern on the way out.

Another helicopter had flown to the gorge, and the pilot of the other chopper and his passenger were swimming when they saw Mr Mundell fly in and hover overhead.

The witnesses looked up in horror as his chopper clipped the gorge as it attempted to fly out.

``One of the witnesses recalled hearing two bangs, the second louder than the first, moments after the helicopter had fallen out of view,'' the ATSB report said.

``The swimmers returned to the inner gorge to find the helicopter submerged, on its right side with substantial damage. The pilot was trapped in the wreckage and, despite a number of attempts, could not be extricated.''

Accident investigators concluded once Mr Mundell had flown into the gorge, he had no choice but to try and get out.

``The pilot descended into the gorge without full appreciation of the risks that would be involved in flying out of the gorge,'' the ATSB said.

``Once the helicopter was inside the gorge there was sufficient space to hover and reverse direction, but with nowhere to land and no other exit path, the pilot was committed to climb out through the narrow opening.''
 

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Crash probe: TV star pilot made fatal ferror

TRAGIC: An inquiry finds a pilot's error was responsible for his death in a Kimberley gorge. Source: PerthNow

AN inquiry into a helicopter crash that killed a pilot in a remote Kimberley gorge has found he fatally blundered by clipping an overhanging rock while taking a solo sightseeing flight.

Angus ``Gus'' Mundell, 40, was flying the Robinson R22 Beta chopper near the Louisa Downs property, a cattle station about 115km south-west of Halls Creek, when it plunged into water at the base of the gorge in October.

Mr Mundell had been working for his brother-in-law Milton Jones, the central identity in reality TV show Keeping up with the Joneses.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation concluded Mr Mundell, who was based in the Northern Territory but living at the nearby Larrawa station at the time of the crash, was not familiar with the gorge when he flew in - and clipped the side of the cavern on the way out.

Another helicopter had flown to the gorge, and the pilot of the other chopper and his passenger were swimming when they saw Mr Mundell fly in and hover overhead.

The witnesses looked up in horror as his chopper clipped the gorge as it attempted to fly out.

``One of the witnesses recalled hearing two bangs, the second louder than the first, moments after the helicopter had fallen out of view,'' the ATSB report said.

``The swimmers returned to the inner gorge to find the helicopter submerged, on its right side with substantial damage. The pilot was trapped in the wreckage and, despite a number of attempts, could not be extricated.''

Accident investigators concluded once Mr Mundell had flown into the gorge, he had no choice but to try and get out.

``The pilot descended into the gorge without full appreciation of the risks that would be involved in flying out of the gorge,'' the ATSB said.

``Once the helicopter was inside the gorge there was sufficient space to hover and reverse direction, but with nowhere to land and no other exit path, the pilot was committed to climb out through the narrow opening.''
 

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Road closed as police continue murder probe

MURDER VICTIM: David Liam Johnson, 32, found shot dead in a Swanbourne Park nearly two weeks ago. Alfred Road, Swanbourne remains closed today as police investigate the shooting death. Source: PerthNow

MOTORISTS are reminded Alfred Road in Swanbourne remains closed today while police continue to investigate the murder of David Liam Johnson, whose body was found in a nearby park about two weeks ago.

Mr Johnson's body was found in a nearby park early Saturday morning nearly two weeks ago.

The road is closed in both directions from West Coast Highway to Narla Road.

It is expected to remain closed till 6am Friday and drivers are advised to seek an alternative route.

Traffic is open to parents who are taking children to and from Swanbourne Primary School today.

Crash closes Shelley Bridge lane

A single vehicle crash on Shelley Bridge, Leach Highway in Shelley, eastbound, has reduced traffic to one lane with the car blocking the right lane.

Emergency services are on site and traffic is busy approaching the incident.

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Police probe man's Mandurah death

Police at the scene in Mandurah where a 28-year-old man was found with fatal injuries. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

Police at the scene in Mandurah where a 28-year-old man was found with fatal injuries. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

Police at the scene in Mandurah where a 28-year-old man was found with fatal head injuries. PICTURE: Andrew Nelson / Twitter Source: PerthNow

Police at the scene in Mandurah where a 28-year-old man was found with fatal head injuries. PICTURE: Andrew Nelson / Twitter Source: PerthNow

Police at the scene in Mandurah where a 28-year-old man was found dead. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

POSSIBLE links between a 17-year-old girl who was injured and a man who was fatally bashed in Mandurah on Sunday night are being investigated by police.

A 28-year-old man was found in a car park on Pinjarra Road with severe head injuries and later died.

The teenager was found nearby with serious, but not life-threatening injuries.

Major Crime Squad detectives, who have obtained security footage from the area, are now trying to establish whether there was any link between the pair.

Media reports suggest the man was set upon while trying to come to the aid of the girl, who he did not know, and was being attacked.

The teenage girl is in Royal Perth Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Late Sunday police were called to a business on Pinjarra Road near George Street about 8.20pm.

Officers found the wounded man, who was taken by ambulance to hospital but later died of his injuries.

A forensics team remained at the scene for much of yesterday and road closures have been put in place.

Anyone with information about the death is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Banksia riot probe told of abuse, hunger

ABUSE: Juveniles being housed in adult Hakea remand centre are being abused, losing weight and having less contact with family. Source: PerthNow

TEENAGE prisoners are being abused by officers, seeing family and lawyers less, and losing weight because of a lack of food, the inquiry into the riot that wrecked Western Australia's only juvenile prison has been told.

More than 140 juvenile offenders were moved to the high-security Hakea adult prison after dozens of cells were destroyed during the Banksia Hill juvenile detention centre riot in January.

Three inquiries are looking at how and why the prison was trashed.

Submissions to the inquiry by WA prison inspector Neil Morgan express grave concerns about how young prisoners are being treated in the arrangement, which Amnesty International says could go on for up to a year.

It's alleged one young prisoner had his head shoved down a toilet by an adult prison officer while being restrained, and another attended court with cuts and bruises after being thrown from a prison van onto the ground.

A submission on behalf of WA Legal Aid's YouthLaw team said lawyers were reporting shocking conditions.

"It appears that some of the Hakea staff regard the detainees and the Banksia Hill staff with contempt," the submission said.

Prisoners have also complained to family members and lawyers about not being adequately fed.

"A number of the family members we have spoken to have told us that they have noticed significant weight loss," one submission said.

The Community and Public Sector Union, representing prison officers, raised concerns about the ease with which young offenders were able to break free from cells during the riot.

"Members have reported that a number of cells ... were breached with frightening ease," its submission said.

Other submissions say that before the riot, rising tensions and staff shortages increased the need for young offenders to be "locked down" in their cells.

One young prisoner reported being locked down for five weeks.

At Hakea, lockdowns are more frequent, and visits by lawyers and family more restricted, according to submissions.

Murdoch University's Anna Copeland said juveniles, who should not be housed alongside adult criminals, were suffering mental anguish from extended lockdowns.

The practice was considered inhumane and degrading under the Convention Against Torture, she said.

WA's Department of Corrections said Hakea "is not ideal ... but it is the best in the short to medium term".

It said no allegations of bullying or aggression had been substantiated, education classes were in place and extra food had been made available.

"The safety and security of staff, detainees and the community remains the department's number one priority," the statement said.

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Police probe man's Mandurah death

MURDER PROBE: Forensic police and Major Crime detectives are investigating a suspicious death in Mandurah after a man was discovered with fatal head injuries. Source: PerthNow

MAJOR Crime Squad detectives are investigating the suspicious death of a 28-year-old man found with fatal head injuries in a Mandurah car park overnight.

Police were called to a business on Pinjarra Road near George Street about 8.20pm yesterday.

Officers found the wounded man, who was taken by ambulance to hospital but later died of his injuries.

A forensics team is still at the scene and road closures have been put in place.

Pinjarra Road is closed to all traffic from Sutton Street to Boundary Road in Mandurah, traffic management is on site and drivers are asked to avoid the area and find alternative routes.

Anyone with information about the death is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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