A serious truck crash on the Hume Highway near Goulburn, New South Wales, caused major traffic disruptions after two heavy vehicles collided and caught fire, forcing authorities to close the highway in both directions while emergency services worked at the scene.
The crash occurred at Breadalbane, around 32 kilometres south-west of Goulburn, during the early hours of the morning. Emergency services were called shortly after 4:10am following reports that a road train and a B-double truck had collided while travelling northbound on the highway.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews attended the scene to battle the blaze, while NSW Police officers from the Hume Police District managed the road closure and began investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The fire created significant hazards for emergency workers and motorists travelling through the area.
The driver of the road train, a 31-year-old man, was treated at the scene for minor injuries before being taken to Yass Hospital for mandatory testing. At the time of initial reports, the driver of the B-double remained unaccounted for as emergency crews continued searching the crash area.
Authorities closed both northbound and southbound lanes of the Hume Highway to allow firefighters and investigators to safely operate. Motorists were advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes, including diversions through the Federal Highway and Barton Highway via Canberra.
The incident caused significant delays on one of Australia’s busiest transport routes, which connects Sydney and Melbourne and is heavily used by freight vehicles every day. Emergency closures on the Hume Highway can have major impacts on commuters, transport operators and regional communities because of the highway’s importance for interstate travel and logistics.
Police launched an investigation into the cause of the collision and appealed for anyone with information, including motorists with dashcam footage, to come forward. Investigators are expected to examine vehicle movements, road conditions and other evidence to determine how the crash occurred.
The crash occurred only weeks after another major truck incident near Breadalbane, where multiple semi-trailers were destroyed in a fiery collision at a rest area near Goulburn. That earlier crash involved hazardous materials and required a large emergency response, including specialist fire crews and safety assessments.
The repeated heavy vehicle incidents in the region have renewed attention on road safety, freight traffic and the challenges faced by emergency crews responding to large vehicle crashes on major highways.
Authorities have reminded drivers to exercise caution around heavy vehicles, especially on high-speed rural roads where crashes can quickly become complex emergency situations.
The investigation into the Breadalbane crash remains ongoing. Further information will be released as police continue their inquiries and assess evidence from the scene.
