Police have made an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) due to an ongoing traffic incident at Bajool near Rockhampton.
The PSPA was declared at 12pm, with the exclusion zone including the Bruce Highway, McLean Road and Bobs Creek Road.
Officers were called to the area at 11.25am following reports of a multi-vehicle traffic crash on the Bruce Highway. One of the vehicles involved is believed to be a truck carrying an Army tank on a trailer.
Queensland Ambulance Service says two people are in stable conditions and a third is in a serious but stable condition.
Police have established an large exclusion zone on the highway near Bajool and motorists are being asked to avoid the area.
Fuck.. An explosive crash involving an army truck carrying a tank and several other vehicles has closed the Bruce Hwy at Bajool, south of Rockhampton. A 500m exclusion zone has been put in place pic.twitter.com/bik94B0HWb
— Politic@l Spinner (@lesstenny) July 19, 2023
They said at least four vehicles were involved.
“Members of the public are advised to avoid the area and those within the exclusion zone are asked to remain indoors, or inside their vehicles, until further notice, and to follow directions from emergency crews,” said a police media report.
The Bruce Highway is closed and is expected to remain that way for many hours. There are a number of fires in the area as a result of the crash.
Update – 4.20pm:
The Forensic Crash Unit is now investigating the multi-vehicle traffic crash.
Police were called just before 11.30am to reports of a seven-vehicle collision.
Upon arrival, three vehicles were located on fire and another four were extensively damaged, including a B-double, a semi-trailer (carrying a military tank), a flat-bed truck carrying two caravans, three cars, and a four-wheel-drive towing a caravan.
Six people were transported to the Rockhampton and Gladstone Hospitals, three with suspected spinal injuries.
The earlier emergency declaration under the PSPA was revoked; however, the Bruce Highway is expected to remain closed for an extended period.
Motorists are urged to avoid the area or expect long delays.
Witnesses or anyone with relevant vision is urged to contact police.