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Burdekin police are urging motorists to remain vigilant after responding to five crashes during the final week of school holidays, including a truck rollover and fire near Clare last Wednesday that left the driver seriously injured before he was airlifted to Townsville.
The crash marked a confronting day on Burdekin roads, with a second serious collision occurring on the Bruce Highway near Inkerman just hours later.
Emergency services first rushed to Old Clare Road at approximately 7:15 am on 8 July, following reports that a fully loaded cane haul-out truck had crashed.
Police reports indicate the driver, a 49-year-old male, lost control of the vehicle while travelling north. The truck tipped onto its driver's side and slid for roughly 50 metres before slamming into a concrete support on top of a culvert.
A passing motorist attempted to assist the trapped driver before police arrived to find the vehicle had caught fire. Officers used handheld fire extinguishers to suppress the flames until the Queensland Fire Department (QFD) arrived to fully extinguish the blaze.
QAS, QFD and QPS crews worked together to stabilise the driver before removing him from the cabin approximately 15 minutes later.
The driver was transported to Ayr Hospital in a stable condition with serious leg injuries, before being airlifted to Townsville Hospital shortly after for further treatment. An official update on his current condition has not been released.
Old Clare Road was closed for several hours while the Forensic Crash Unit (FCU) and Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) processed the scene.
While finalising the scene at Clare, police were called away to a second high-speed impact on the Bruce Highway near Inkerman.
Upon arrival, officers found a white Toyota Corolla with significant front-end damage blocking the northbound lane, alongside a Toyota LandCruiser towing a caravan.
According to police, the LandCruiser was travelling north when it slowed down behind a tractor that was travelling in the same direction at approximately 80 km/h. Shortly after, the Corolla crashed into the rear of the caravan.
The driver and single occupant of the Corolla was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Ayr Hospital as a precaution. The Corolla sustained severe damage and had to be towed, while the caravan sustained minimal damage and was able to be driven away. The driver and passenger in the LandCruiser were unharmed.
Police investigations into the highway crash are ongoing, with initial indications suggesting driver inattention may have been a contributing factor.
Following the string of incidents, local police are urging the public to exercise increased caution.
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