Three men in critical condition with head and chest injuries taken to separate hospitals following a rollover between Herberton and Watsonville

Two men, both in a critical condition, were flown to Cairns Hospital, while a third man, also critical, was taken to Atherton Hospital following a rollover between Herberton and Watsonville.

The Herberton-Petford Road is closed following single-car crash and rollover between Herberton and Watsonville. Picture: Supplied.

Three men are critical with serious head and chest injuries and have been taken to separate hospitals following a single car crash on a remote road in Far North Queensland.

Emergency services were called just after 11.30am on Tuesday to a crash on the remote road between Herberton and Watsonville, where a vehicle had flipped onto its roof.

The road is closed to traffic.

All three patients were reported to have significant chest and head injuries, resulting in two patients being flown to Cairns Hospital, with the third being taken to

Atherton Hospital.

“All three are understood to have life-threatening injuries,” a Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said.

“Two have been flown to Cairns Hospital with head and chest injuries in a critical condition.”

“The other has been taken to Atherton Hospital with serious injuries.”

The men were triaged based on the severity of their injuries, as not all three were able to fit in the helicopter due to space limits.

“We will triage most serious to go on the helicopter and to where they will get the best care for their injuries,” the spokeswoman said.

On arrival, emergency services reported one man was stuck inside the flipped vehicle, as both doors appeared to have been damaged in the crash.

Queensland Fire Department crews arrived on scene just after 12pm and located the man trapped inside the car.

“There was one person stuck who couldn’t get out, he was encapsulated under vehicle. He was rescued by cutting the door open,” a spokesman for QFD said.

“Two other patients were able to get out of the car and are with paramedics.”

In addition, Queensland Traffic advised motorists the road was closed and to avoid the area.

“Herberton Petford road, between Herberton and Watsonville is closed to all traffic,” a Queensland Traffic spokesman said.

The crash on the isolated roadway is expected to cause long delays northbound towards Watsonville.

The QFD spokesman said two crews had remained on scene to mop up a “significant” oil leak, before handing the scene over to Queensland Police Service.

Originally published as Three men in critical condition with head and chest injuries taken to separate hospitals following a rollover between Herberton and Watsonville