Three men were killed and a further 20 injured after a series of explosions occurred on the survey ship 'Western Spruce'. The ship was taking on liquid oxgyen from a road tanker at the Port Welshpool jetty when the mixture ignited. Country Fire Authority firefighters pumped salt water onto the ship for approximately 20 hours. The moorings were cut, and the Western Spruce drifted to a sandbar near Snake Island, where the ship continued to burn out.

A court of Marine Inquiry held at Melbourne decided negligence, lack of maintenance and poor supervision contributed to the disaster.