Katoomba crash: Child seriously injured after truck, car collide on major road

A bystander has rescued a woman and a child from a burning car after it and truck collided on a major highway.

A woman and a child were rushed to hospital after a car and a truck collided on a major road in Greater Sydney, causing the car to catch on fire.

Emergency services treated three people for burns after being called to the Great Western Highway near Explorers Rd in Katoomba about 6.30am on Monday.

The woman and child were pulled from the burning vehicle by a bystander, who was also treated for minor burns.

The major highway remained closed in both directions four hours after the crash. Picture: 9News

The girl aged under 10 was flown to the The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in a serious condition, with the driver of the car, a woman in her 30s, also treated for minor burns and injuries on her chest and legs.

She was taken by road to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition.

The bystander, a woman in her 40s, was also treated for minor burns on her arms and taken to Blue Mountains Hospital in a stable condition.

Scenes from the crash site show a burnt-out car in nearby bushland.

Paramedics treated three people for burns after a truck and car collided on a major highway. Picture: 9News

The driver of the truck was also taken to Katoomba Hospital for mandatory testing.

Motorists were advised to avoid the Great Western Highway hours after the incident.

As of 1pm Monday, the Great Western Highway between Explorers Rd and Medlow Bath remained closed in both directions, with drivers told to use Bells Line of Rd instead.

Live Traffic NSW warned westbound traffic was “extremely heavy on Bells Line of Rd, especially approaching Mount Tomah” and told drivers to “allow plenty of extra travel time”.

Originally published as Katoomba crash: Child seriously injured after truck, car collide on major road