Innisfail community heartbroken by loss of second local in four weeks on Bruce Highway

A Far North community is in shock following the second tragic death in a month on the Bruce Highway after a “sobering” accident.

THURSDAY MAY 26, 6AM: A FAR North community is in shock following the tragic death of a man involved in a “sobering” accident on the Bruce Highway on Tuesday night, as police examine the exact cause of the smash.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council Mayor Mark Nolen said the entire town had been left gutted by the death of a 61-year-old Innisfail man at Deeral, south of Gordonvale.

The accident caused six-hour delays on the Bruce Highway with a 1km stretch south of Aloomba the focus of a forensic crash investigation on Wednesday.

Forensic Crash Unit has advised parts of the Bruce Highway will be closed while they conduct investigations into a fatal crash near Deeral. Picture: QPS

Cr Nolan said the community was only just coming to terms with the death of much-loved Innisfail grandmother, Bernice Prats, who was also killed in a crash on the highway earlier this month.

“It’s certainly a sobering incident and our community, our council’s thoughts and prayers are with the family,” he said.

“It’s an absolute tragedy.”

Cr Nolan stopped short of blaming the poor road conditions for the recent accidents, but conceded the rising death toll along the Bruce Highway was cause for concern.

“We will wait and see what the investigation uncovers,” he said.

“But the number of tragedies that have occurred on our highways over recent times, we also had a truck driver not that long ago whose truck rolled.

“I know myself, driving at night you cannot see that dividing line as it’s covered in rainwater, you need to slow down to 20km/h sometimes.

Cairns Forensic Crash Unit Sergeant Scott Ezard.

“So there are all the elements related to our climate that contribute to accidents.”

Innisfail businessman Maurice Grasso, from Maurice Grasso Motors, said the town was heartbroken by Tuesday’s accident.

The crash stopped traffic for hours in the Gordonvale area, with some motorists using an old rail line as a traffic diversion.

The man’s vehicle rolled on an embankment. He died at the scene.

“When you lose a local ahead of time it’s always disappointing,” Mr Grasso said.

“And probably at a time when he was starting to wind back in his life, it’s a tragic loss.

“Your heart goes out to the family.”

Traffic backed up on the Bruce Highway following a single vehicle crash in Deeral. Picture: Arun Singh Mann

Mr Grasso said he missed the accident “probably only by a half an hour”, calling the sounds of ambulances and police rushing by “disturbing”.

Sergeant Scott Ezard from the Forensic Crash Unit said the exact cause of the accident was still under investigation.

Police shut the Bruce Highway near the tragedy for 30 minutes on Tuesday morning for further examination.

“Police focus was on the very busy scene and conducting a thorough forensic investigation before reopening the highway as soon as possible,” he said.

WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 10AM: THE Bruce Highway has been reopened after it was partially closed this morning as investigators examine the scene of a fatal smash at Deeral.

The stretch, about 1km south of Aloomba, was shut from 10am to allow Forensic Crash Unite investigators to examine the scene.

It comes as more details have emerged into a tragic crash that killed a Far North man on the Bruce Highway, with more traffic delays expected today

Queensland police have confirmed a 61-year-old Innisfail man has died after his four-wheel drive, travelling north on the Bruce Highway at Deeral, lost control at around 5pm on Tuesday.

The crash stopped traffic for hours in the Gordonvale area, with some motorists using an old rail line as a traffic diversion.

The vehicle rolled on an embankment, with the driver killed at the scene.

Sergeant Scott Ezard from the Forensic Crash Unit said the Bruce Highway was closed from 5pm until 10pm last night.

Bernice Prats identified as victim of fatal Bruce Hwy crash south of Innisfail, at Goolboo

“Police focus was on the very busy scene and conducting a thorough forensic investigation before reopening the highway as soon as possible,” he said.

Forensic Crash Unit officers will return to the scene today and motorists should expect minor delays while further investigations are undertaken during the day.

Delays are expected from around 10am approximately 1km south of Aloomba on the Bruce Highway.

Sergeant Ezard was unable to provide any further details on the driver.

“Family has been notified and the Forensic Crash Unit are now preparing a report for the coroner,” he said.

He was the only passenger.

Today in Cairns: A 59-year-old Mareeba man died following a single vehicle crash Friday afternoon

TUESDAY MAY 24, 8.30PM: It’s believed that the driver involved in the single vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway has died on scene.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said the driver was an approximately 40-year-old man.

Ambulances left the scene just after 6pm and no patient was transported to a hospital.

The rescue helicopter left the area heading back towards Cairns about 5.45pm, shortly after arriving on scene only 15 minutes prior.

Queensland Ambulance have confirmed only one person was in the car involved in the single vehicle crash.

Traffic backed up on the Bruce Highway following a single vehicle crash in Deeral. Photo: Arun Singh Mann

Long delays built up for drivers along the Bruce Highway south of Gordonvale as frustrated motorists attempted to escape the traffic and find alternative routes.

Motorists are attempting to use a dirt track to move around the crash site with some believed to be caught in a ditch.

It was expected the road would be closed for about six hours.

Former road train driver killed in Mareeba crash hailed a hero

TUESDAY MAY 24, 6.30PM: MULTIPLE emergency service crews have been called to a serious single vehicle crash south of Cairns this afternoon.

About 5pm, Queensland Ambulance and Police rushed to the scene at Harvey Creek south of Deeral on the Bruce Highway where a crash has left the driver trapped.

“The car rolled a couple times,” said a QAS spokesman.

The car is believed to be on its side as firefighters and a rescue 510 helicopter have arrived on scene to assist in the driver’s recovery.

Queensland Police have warned motorists travelling in the area that both lanes of Bruce Highway are closed with it expected to remain closed for several hours.

More to come.

Originally published as Innisfail community heartbroken by loss of second local in four weeks on Bruce Highway