Drivers recovering after Bruce Highway crash near Townsville
Four locals and a Julia Creek truck driver are recovering after a horror highway crash involving seven-vehicles yesterday afternoon.
Townsville
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WEDNESDAY MORNING: Four locals and a Julia Creek truck driver are recovering after a horror highway crash involving seven-vehicles yesterday afternoon.
The three-truck, four-car crash occured about 2.15pm on the Bruce Highway, 200m south of the intersection of Woodstock Giru Rd near Mount Surround.
The driver of one of the trucks, a 28-year-old man from Julia Creek, was rushed to Townsville University Hospital in a critical condition.
A spokeswoman for TUH said this morning the truck driver, who suffered head and pelvic injuries, was now in a stable condition.
A spokeswoman for the Queensland Police Service confirmed two local drivers, a 35-year-old man from Ayr and a 51-year-old man from Home Hill, were injured in the accident.
Two passengers, from Home Hill and Douglas respectively, were also injured in the crash.
All four were transported to TUH in a stable condition.
Police investigations are ongoing into the crash.
TUESDAY EVENING: A TRUCK driver needed to be cut free from his rig after a seven-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway, south of Townsville on Tuesday.
The serious crash occurred 200m south of the intersection of Woodstock Giru Rd, in Mount Surround at 2.12pm.
Townsville Police District Duty Officer District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Darren Randall said in the lead up to the crash there was a line of stationary vehicles waiting at a red control signal for roadworks.
“It would appear that the last of the line, a semi-trailer (carrying) cattle has rear ended the truck in front of it, and the accident then concertinaed up, involving seven vehicles,” Sen-Sgt Randall said.
“As far as why the truck didn’t stop or why it hit the stationary vehicle, it’s too early to say. That’ll be the subject of a forensic crash investigation.”
Three trucks and four cars were impacted, with the crash trapping a truck driver, who was eventually freed by Queensland Fire and Emergency at 3.55pm.
A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said four people sustained minor injuries and the trapped truck driver suffered serious pelvic and head injuries that were not life-threatening.
Despite the QGAir rescue helicopter being present at the crash scene, the crash victims were all transported by road to Townsville University Hospital.
Sen-Sgt Randall said the decision to transport the patients by road was to avoid inclement weather that would have forced the helicopter to fly an extended journey.
Police diverted highway traffic around the crash scene via Shirbourne Rd.
The Bruce Highway was still blocked on Tuesday night as forensic investigators examined the crash scene.
A salvage operation was also launched to retrieve the cattle that survived the crash.
The highway was expected to reopen at 8pm.
Traffic alert: Bruce Hwy closed at the intersection of Woodstock Giru Rd, Mt Surround due to a multi-vehicle crash. Diversions in place and traffic is flowing. Drive to the conditions #qldtrafficpic.twitter.com/alSuEu0BiN
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) February 15, 2022
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Originally published as Drivers recovering after Bruce Highway crash near Townsville
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