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Thursday's Final Word
- It is the third major crash on the Bruce highway this week
- Do you have any footage? Email: tips@dailymail.com
A male driver has suffered life-threatening injuries after his ute and a B-double truck carrying ammonium nitrate collided on a notorious stretch of highway in Queensland, sparking an explosion heard more than 50km away.
The two vehicles crashed at Bororen, 400km north of Brisbane, on the Bruce Highway shortly after 5am on Friday.
The truck driver suffered abdominal, leg, pelvic, head and arm injuries, the Queensland Ambulance Service said.
It is unclear how many people were inside the ute, which also burst into flames.
The truck spilled hazardous material sparking a ‘leave immediately’ emergency alert issued at 9.45am and an exclusion zone spanning a 2.5km radius around the crash site.
‘Residents within the exclusion zone are advised to leave immediately,’ Queensland Police said.
‘If you cannot leave, shelter indoors, and close your windows and doors, and turn off your air conditioning.’
Residents reported hearing an explosion as the truck went up a short time after the initial crash. A large plume of smoke could be seen for kilometres.
Residents within a 2.5km exclusion zone have been told to leave
Residents reported hearing an explosion as the truck went up a short time ago after the initial crash
The two vehicles crashed at Bororen, 400km north of Brisbane , on the Bruce Highway just after 5am on Friday
One woman living 50km away claimed the explosion ‘rattled’ her windows.
The Bruce Highway is expected to be closed for the rest of the day and even overnight.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said it would be a ‘prolonged incident’ as more than five crews attack the blaze and clean up the chemicals.
Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett listed the multiple detours in place.
‘Northbound vehicles to detour at Childers. Lights vehicles can also detour via Mt Perry at Gin Gin,’ Mr Burnett wrote on social media.
‘Southbound traffic to detour at the Calliope Crossroads and connect back to the Bruce via Biloela and Monto.
‘Blackman’s Gap Road is closed to highway traffic but open to local traffic only.’
It is the third major crash on the Bruce Highway this week, with visibility affected by heavy fog and smoke.
A 29-year-old truck driver died after he was caught up in a series of catastrophic crashes which shutdown the Bruce Highway south of Miriam Vale, near Gladstone, from Tuesday to Wednesday morning.
Two ambulances that were dispatched to the scene also crashed.
