Three dead, woman flown to hospital after crash on NSW highway

Three people have died and a woman has been flown to hospital in a serious condition after the car they were in crashed on a highway.

Three have died, and a woman has been flown to hospital after the car they were in crashed in northeast NSW.

Emergency services responded to reports of a single-vehicle crash about 6.30am on Wednesday, closing the Kamilaroi Highway near Curlewis, about 20km south of Gunnedah.

Three passengers, two women and a man, who were sitting in the back seat died at the scene.

They are yet to be formally identified.

A woman sitting in the front passenger seat was treated by paramedics for serious injuries before she was flown to John Hunter Hospital.

Three people are dead after a car crashed on the Kamilaroi Highway south of Gunnedah. Picture: Live Traffic

The driver – a 24-year-old man – was not injured and has been taken to Tamworth Hospital for mandatory testing.

The Kamilaroi Highway is closed between Curlewis and Gunnedah.

Motorists are urged to avoid the area and monitor www.livetraffic.com for updates.

Watch and Act: Duck Creek Pilliga Forest Fire, (Narrabri LGA)
Firefighters supported by aircraft continue to slow the fires spread and protect properties. While rain is beginning to fall across the northern parts of the fire, storm activity could cause erratic fire behaviour. pic.twitter.com/CcUaklE7HN

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 19, 2023

To the west of the crash, a large bush fire is burning within the Pilliga Forest and has already scorched more than 121,000 hectares of land.

There is significant smoke in the region, with poorer air quality registered by the Air Quality Index reader in Gunnedah.

As inquiries continue police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the crash – or has any available dashcam footage – to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Three dead, woman flown to hospital after crash on NSW highway