Bruce Highway crash: Father dead, teen son in serious condition in hospital
There have been renewed calls to upgrade the Bruce Highway after a horror three vehicle head-on crash north of Mackay claimed the life of a Townsville resident.
Mackay
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There have been renewed calls to upgrade the Bruce Highway after a horror three vehicle head-on crash north of Mackay claimed the life of a Townsville resident.
The 60-year-old man died at the scene of the crash near Rise and Shine Rd at Pindi Pindi, about 60km north of Mackay.
He had been travelling in a black Ford ute with a 19-year-old man who was flown to Mackay Base Hospital in a serious condition with critical injuries.
Police said preliminary inquiries indicated a white Holden ute was headed north on the Bruce Highway when, about 2.35pm, it crossed onto the opposite side of the road.
Mackay Forensic Crash Unit Sergeant Michael Hollett said the two utes collided before a Toyota Kluger, headed south, crashed into the two vehicles.
The 60-year-old man, from the Townsville suburb of Oonoonba, died at the scene. The man’s son, 19, suffered “significant injuries” and was flown to hospital in a critical condition, police said.
“The driver of the Holden, a 32-year-old Cannonvale man, was also transported to Mackay Base Hospital with significant injuries,” police said.
On Saturday morning, the son’s condition was listed as stable. The 32-year-old driver of the other vehicle was also reported to be stable.
The 47-year-old male driver of the Kluger was not seriously injured.
Local MP George Christensen posted news of the crash on social media, urging locals to avoid the area.
One resident urged the MP to look into both the Bruce Highway and the Peak Downs Highway from Nebo to Moranbah.
“The death rate is just way too high. We are losing way to much life,’’ Tomas Fernandez posted.
“Peak Downs Highway is a mining haul road. Get all the mining companies together they have a duty of care for all of us on the road. To many brother and sister miners have died. Enough is enough.”
Brian Sefton agreed: “The road from Mackay to Proserpine is dreadful, as is most of the Bruce Highway.”
Anyone who witnessed or has dashcam vision of the incident is urged to contact police.
Forensic Crash Unit investigations continue.
Earlier, Mackay Forensic Crash Unit Sergeant Michael Hollett said initial investigations suggested the Holden, which had been headed north, crossed onto the other side of the road.
He said a third vehicle, a Toyota Kluger, struck the first two vehicles.
“Behind that southbound vehicle, there was a third vehicle which has collided with one of those vehicles,” Sergeant Hollett said.
“The driver of the southbound vehicle has been declared deceased at the scene.
“The passenger of the southbound vehicle, which copped the major part of the collision, has been flown to Mackay Base Hospital.”
The teen, who is the son of the man who died, suffered serious leg, chest and abdominal injuries.
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter flew him in a stable condition.
Sergeant Hollett said the driver of the northbound vehicle police allege crossed onto the wrong side of the road was taken to hospital with relatively minor injuries.
He urged motorists to take care.
“The road out here is not a racetrack,” he said.
“You can see the road conditions; it’s a fine, clear day, the road is dry, the road is straight.
“At this stage we don’t know why the northbound car has crossed into the southbound lane.”
The Bruce Highway was shut for several hours with heavy vehicles forced to wait while smaller cars were diverted through Yalboroo Service Rd.
4.45PM: One person has died and three others injured in a three-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Pindi Pindi.
A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics assessed four people at the scene of the crash near Rise and Shine Rd about 2.35pm.
Two men including a man in his 30s and a teen were trapped in vehicles involved in the crash and had to be cut free from the cars.
Both suffered chest and leg injuries.
The man in his 30s was taken to Mackay Base Hospital by road in a stable condition, while the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter flew the male teen.
He was reported to be in a stable condition.
A third man, aged in his 40s, suffered a wrist injury.
The Bruce Highway remains closed to all heavy vehicles while light vehicles are being diverted through Yalboroo Service Rd.
INITIAL 3PM: A man has suffered critical injuries in a serious multi-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway north of Mackay.
Initial reports suggest at least one person is trapped in one of the vehicles in the incident reported about 2.30pm.
The collision was reported at the intersection of Rise and Shine Rd and the Bruce Highway at Pindi Pindi, about 70km north of Mackay.
It is believed five people have been injured in the incident, with at least one person suffering serious injuries.
Multiple emergency services crews are on scene with more on the way.
One of the vehicles are believed to have rolled.
Several police units are on the way including the Forensic Crash Unit.
The Bruce Highway has been closed as a result of the crash, with motorists urged to avoid the area or delay travel.
Light vehicles are being diverted around the crash with police on scene directing traffic.
But the highway remains closed to heavy vehicles.
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