Mackay woman, 22, killed after car explodes into flames in horror head-on north of Proserpine

A 22-year-old woman driving a black BMW has died after the vehicle exploded into flames in a head on collision which shut down the Bruce Highway for hours. LATEST

BMA CQ Rescue was tasked to Proserpine after a horror crash on the Bruce Highway at Myrtlevale. The AW139 landed on the highway and has transported man in his 60s for further treatment at Mackay Base Hospital. Picture: BMA CQ Rescue

A 22 year old Mackay woman has been killed after her BMW exploded into flames after a head on collision with a ute on the Bruce Highway in the Whitsundays.

Whitsunday District Country Patrol Group Inspector Glenn Cameron said on Monday the young woman had been behind the wheel of a black BMW when a silver Rodeo dual cab ute allegedly crossed into the wrong lane and the two vehicles collided.

The 61-year-old Bowen man driving the ute was also seriously injured in the crash and is in Mackay Base Hospital in a critical condition.

Emergency crews were called to the scene on the Bruce Highway at Myrtlevale just after 5pm on Sunday after the horror crash that shut the highway in both direction for several hours.

Inspector Cameron said identifying the Mackay woman, who had been travelling home from Townsville, had been difficult because of the nature of the crash.

Mackay’s Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the tragedy which brings the district’s road toll total to 17 from 13 crashes for 2024 and a devastating start to the September school holidays.

“That’s 17 families who have lost a person, 17 times that our emergency services have had to response to fatal crashes,” Inspector Cameron said.

“The impacts across the community are immense.”

The site of the Bruce Highway crash at Myrtlevale in the Whitsundays.

The exact circumstances that caused the crash will for part of the FCU’s investigation.

Inspector Cameron said officers will provide a report to the coroner.

“It is tragic circumstances and that’s why we’re imploring every member of the public (to) drive to the conditions, drive to your own condition, be safe on the road we want to see people get to their destination safely,” he said.

It comes after a horror weekend on Queensland roads which claimed three other lives, including that of a teenage driver in a collision with a motorcycle and a man killed when his vehicle crashed into a tree at Kilkivan.

In the Whitsundays crash, the man in his 60s was taken to Mackay Base Hospital with significant abdominal and pelvic injuries.

Witnesses, or anyone with relevant vision, are urged to contact police.

Originally published as Mackay woman, 22, killed after car explodes into flames in horror head-on north of Proserpine