Four officers have been killed in a horrific roadside pile-up, marking the largest single loss of life in Victoria Police history.
The crash happened on the Eastern Freeway near the Chandler Highway at Kew shortly after 5.30pm on Wednesday.
Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton said it was too early to tell what caused the crash.
“This is a real tragedy. I believe this is the largest single police loss of life in the history of Victoria Police,” he told reporters at the scene on Wednesday evening.
Emergency services respond to a fatal crash near the Chandler Highway in the suburb of Kew in Melbourne. Source: AAP
“I’m not aware of another occasion where we’ve lost four Victoria Police members in one incident.
“It’s a very tragic night and it highlights the dangers that go with police work.”
The one female and three male officers were hit by the refrigerator truck after pulling over a speeding Porsche 911, which was set to be impounded.
Mr Ashton said the driver of the Porsche fled the scene on foot after the truck ploughed into them.
“The driver of the Porsche we don’t believe was injured but has taken it upon himself to flee the scene,” he said.
“The driver of the truck has, for medical reasons, been taken to hospital. It’s not believed he was injured in the accident but has had some sort of a medical episode at the scene.”
The chief commissioner said police would await results of the truck driver's blood analysis while he remains under police guard in hospital.
He also urged the Porche driver to contact police as soon as possible.
Victoria’s police union said members were “shocked and immensely saddened” by the tragedy.
Source: AAP
"This is a brutally sad reminder of the danger police face in the course of their service, every minute of every shift,” the union said in a statement.
"We mourn their loss, we grieve with their families and colleagues and we will never forget them."
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday night, secretary of the Police Association Victoria, Wayne Gatt, said he was "floored" by the news.
"To lose a member, to lose any member but to lose four on one occasion is incredible," he said. "This will be felt in every police station, in every mess room, in every watchhouse across the state tonight."
He said the victims included officers that were new to the force and "exceptionally long-serving veterans".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the incident as awful and heart-breaking.
“My deepest sympathies go out to their families, fellow officers and friends at this terrible time," he tweeted on Wednesday night.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese also took to social media to share his condolences, adding that the tragedy was a "terrible reminder of the risks taken by police and emergency workers every single day".
In a statement, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews described the officers - who are yet to be identified - as heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty.
"Tonight, somewhere in our city, four families’ hearts are breaking. Our hearts are breaking with them," he said.
"We grieve alongside them – just as we grieve with every member of Victoria Police and every member of our emergency services family."
Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville said her thoughts were with the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased officers, who were "taken from us far too soon".
"The police family is really grieving tonight, and I'm a small part of that and I'm certainly hurting tonight," she told reporters.
"It is a dangerous job as a police officer, but we certainly want every police officer to come home safely to their families ... they are Victorian heroes tonight."
The freeway is closed in both directions between Bulleen Road and the Chandler Highway, and drivers have been told to find an alternative route.
