8am Friday
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Barkly Hwy has re-opened east of Mount Isa after last night’s fatal accident.
Accident investigators arrived at the scene this morning via helicopter where they saw the charred wreckage of a cattle truck destroyed by fire in the crash.
The other truck and car have been removed from the scene.
The road was closed for over 12 hours meaning drivers would have had to a take a 300km detour via Duchess on dirt roads to get between Cloncurry and Mount Isa.
Earlier this morning police confirmed the person who died in last night’s truck-and-car collision near Mount Isa was the male driver of the car.
The crash occurred 12 kilometres east of Mount Isa yesterday.around 5pm when suggests a vehicle travelling east on the Barkly Highway collided with a truck towing three trailers.
A second truck towing three trailers of cattle left the road after swerving to avoid the crash and caught fire.
The accident happened on a bend on the road just before dusk – two factors which would have limited the vision of drivers heading west.
6am Friday
Police have confirmed the person who died in last night’s truck-and-car collision near Mount Isa was the male driver of the car.
The crash occurred 12 kilometres east of Mount Isa yesterday.around 5pm.
Preliminary information suggests a vehicle travelling east on the Barkly Highway collided with a truck towing three trailers.
A second truck towing three trailers of cattle left the road after swerving to avoid the crash and caught fire.
The male driver of the vehicle and sole occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene.
One truck driver was taken to Mount Isa Hospital with minor injuries while the other truck driver was uninjured.
The Forensic Crash Unit are investigating and the highway remains closed.
No other details of the driver have been released including his age.
10.15pm The Queensland Ambulance Service has said a person in the car involved in the truck crash on the Barkly Highway has died.
The driver of the truck, believed to be a gravel prime mover, has been taken to Mount Isa hospital with suspected spinal injuries in a stable condition.
The driver of the cattle truck which then crashed to avoid the first crash didn’t suffer any injuries though the vehicle caught fire and several cattle escaped.
No details of the sex or age of the deceased person have been released as yet and it is not yet known if he or she is the driver or whether there were multiple people in the car.
The road remains closed in both directions overnight.
8.30pm: THERE were two incidents on the same section of the Barkly Highway – but the second was a consequence of the other.
Mount Isa Police Station’s officer-in-charge, Senior Sergeant Renee Hanrahan, said a car and an unloaded road train were involved in the first crash.
“A secondary single-vehicle incident has occurred when a road train loaded with cattle took evasive action to avoid the initial two-vehicle crash," she said.
“This cattle truck has lost its load with many animals escaping onto the roadway and surrounds. This vehicle also caught fire.
“It is anticipated road closures will be in place overnight. Please avoid the area.
“Any witnesses are asked to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.”
There is no detail as to injuries except a Queensland Ambulance Service tweet which said “one patient stable to Mount Isa Hospital with neck pain, after traffic crash on Barkly Highway at 4.59pm.”
Queensland Ambulance Service was sought for information on Thursday night, but had been unable to be reached for comment.
7.30pm: THE Barkly Highway is likely to remain closed the rest of Thursday night after an incident involving at least one truck.
The crash site is on the highway about 10 kilometres east of Mount Isa and happened at about 5.05pm, according to motorists waiting by the side of the highway.
The road was closed with trucks lining up as Mount Isa Police, the Queensland Ambulance Service, and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service attended the scene.
The Queensland Police Service has not yet released a statement, except to write on social media there had been a collision. A Mount Isa Police officer said there was unlikely to be comment until at least late on Thursday night.
The officer said the section of the Barkly Highway was likely to remain closed overnight.
The constable urged that anyone that may have witnessed the incident or had any information contact Policelink urgently on 131 444. The incident was under investigation.
The Mount Isa Police Station’s officer-in-charge was unable to provide further detail at this stage.
Close to the road closure was Christopher Wormald, who was replacing a tyre. He had been travelling to Malbon. Mr Wormald said there had been cattle running on the road at the time of the incident.
Mr Wormald said his wheel fell off around the corner of the incident. He said there was “a loud bang”.
Truck driver Shane Goldsmith, 56, said he had seen a pillar of smoke ahead on the road. He had not been 100 per cent certain it was from the highway given how windy it was.
He had intended on staying the night in Cloncurry to drop off a delivery, before he continued on to Brisbane.
Mr Goldsmith said he travelled on the stretch of highway every fortnight. “I’ve been driving trucks since I was about 20 years old,” he said. “The roads are getting worse and worse and worse.
“Coming into here it’s all windy and narrow.”
When thanked for his time to talk, Mr Goldsmith said, leaning on his truck, “what else have I got?
“I’m lucky. I’ve got my kettle, I’ve got my TV, I can watch DVDs.”