Captain Cook Highway closed after diesel truck rollover

A major Far North highway and key link road has been brought to a standstill after a tanker carrying diesel has rolled spilling fuel across the now closed road. Rolling updates.

A truck carrying diesel has partially rolled into a ditch on the Captain Cook Highway north of Turtle Cove spilling fuel across the road causing it to be closed in both direction while cleanup occurs. Photo: Helen Wheels (Facebook)

A major Far North highway and key link road has been brought to a standstill after a tanker carrying diesel has rolled spilling fuel across the now closed road.

Emergency crews have been called to the Captain Cook Highway north of Wangetti after a Marano’s Fuel tanker carrying diesel has partially rolled into a ditch on the side of the road.

A Queensland Fire Department spokesman said that fire crews were called to the scene around 11:26 with one crew currently at the site and another two mobile crews heading to the crash.

An image from the crash site shows a two trailer tanker with the second trailer rolled to it’s side with the truck itself remaining up right.

Cairns: The Captain Cook Highway, between Wangetti Beach and Turtle Cove, is closed due to a single truck incident.
The road is expected to be closed for a number of hours while crews conduct a clean-up.
Motorists are urged to avoid the area or expect long delays. #qldtrafficpic.twitter.com/aXmAiRpz7e

— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) August 25, 2024

The spokesman advised that diesel was leaking across the road which is now closed with road blocks set up to the south at Veivers road at Palm Cove.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman confirmed they were called to the scene where a trailer has spilt diesel across the road around 2-3 kilometres north of Turtle Cove causing traffic to back up to Ellis Beach.

“The driver, we believe is uninjured but obviously there is a lot to clean up,” she said.

“We expect the road to be closed for a couple of hours.”

One lane was reopened at 3.48pm with long delays expected as cleanup continues.

Originally published as Captain Cook Highway closed after diesel truck rollover