Major M1 delays as truck carrying race car goes up in flames

A truck carrying a sprint car loaded with high-octane fuel and oil has caught on fire on the M1. Drivers are urged to avoid travelling southbound at the Windybanks interchange.

Numerous people reported a truck on fire on the M1 at the Windybanks Interchange on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Rachelle Edwards/M1 Pacific Motorway Facebook

A truck carrying a racing car has gone up in flames on the M1 Motorway at Mt Colah, causing extensive delays.

Just before 1pm on Saturday, emergency services received numerous calls about a truck and trailer carrying a sprint car ablaze in the breakdown lane of the M1, near the Windybanks interchange.

Crews arrived at the scene to find the trailer well alight and the vehicle inside completely destroyed.

A Fire and Rescue spokesman said one of the initial calls was from the truck driver “who raised fears of further explosion due to the high-octane fuel and oil in the race cars.”

Firefighters douse the flames, but the trailer and its contents were completely destroyed. Picture: Anthony Robertson/M1 Pacific Motorway Facebook

Traffic at Windybanks interchange heading southbound was banked up.

The sprint car was destroyed in the fire. Picture Attard-Becker/Facebook

The fire spread to bushland but the blaze is currently under control, with firefighters on the scene.

One southbound lane is still closed to traffic. Drivers are urged to avoid the area and check www.livetraffic.com for updates.

Attard-Becker Sprint team announced the fire on their Facebook page. Picture Attard-Becker Facebook

The truck was carrying a sprint car belonging to Attard-Becker racing team.

The team posted to Facebook shortly after the crash expressing their heartbreak. “Unfortunately this is never what you want to see or have happen.

“Thank you to everyone calling and sending through messages, we won’t be able to respond to everyone at this point in time while we are still assessing the full extent of the damage.

“We would like to let everyone know that those involved are safe and were not injured.

“We will provide a further update in the future.”

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