A truck carrying a load of metal has spilled onto the M1 Pacific Motorway in New South Wales, shredding the tyres of hundreds of cars during peak-hour traffic.
Emergency services, Transport for NSW, heavy vehicle inspectors and sweepers responded to the scene on the Pacific Motorway between Wyong Road and Mount White on Friday morning.
NSW Police said officers arrived shortly after 5am to find that the tyres of more than 100 vehicles had been damaged, many of which were stopped in the breakdown lane.
NSW Rural Fire Service said the total number of vehicles damaged had crept to about 300 by 8am.
All southbound lanes of the M1 Pacific Motorway between Wyong Road, Tuggerah and the Calga Interchange remain closed.
“A truck lost a load of scrap metal around 5am this morning, causing extensive debris along the M1 Pacific Motorway southbound from Ourimbah,’ NSW Rural Fire Service said in a statement.
“Around 300 vehicles, including emergency vehicles, have reportedly sustained shredded tyres.
“The motorway is closed southbound between Ourimbah and Mt White and is expected to remain closed for some time.
“Please avoid the area and delay travel if possible. Follow directions from emergency services and stay updated via Live Traffic NSW.”
Some drivers have reported all four of their vehicle’s tyres were shredded.
The damage has led to several rear-end collisions on the motorway, with authorities scrambling to find a solution to the carnage.
Daniel Falconer, the general manager at NJ Ashton Group, the owner of the truck, said the company’s insurance would cover the damage to the vehicles.
“We’re very, very, very sorry for what’s happened, we’ve got all our managers on the way up there. Our mechanics are on the way to fix any tyres if they can, help anyone on the side of the road,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
“We’re just doing as much as we possibly can. We’ve got sweepers out on the highway. We’ve got guys coming with excavators and all that sort of stuff to fix everything up.”
Police confirmed the pins on the back of the truck were locked, and Mr Falconer said a “mechanical error of some sort” led to the disastrous spill, adding the truck driver was “devastated”.
Chief Inspector Thomas Barnes from the Newcastle Hunter Highway Patrol said the situation was “unprecedented”.
“The first thing we needed to do was to make sure that the people who are stuck on the roadway were as safe as possible,” he told 2GB.
“Whilst we don’t have an accurate number of vehicles yet, it is fair to say that it is in the hundreds and will take some time to complete a full assessment.
“A number of people are not realising until they’ve arrived at their destination that they also have damaged tyres that are subject to a slow leak.”
The driver of the truck, a 46-year-old man, is currently cooperating with police as they conduct their investigation.
Hundreds of truck drivers have been forced to park indefinitely in the emergency lane because their vehicles are not suitable for the designated diversion route.
Howard Collins, coordinator-general for Transport NSW, said thousands of pieces of metal had “spread like jam” down the motorway.
Mr Collins said authorities are focused on cleaning one lane to allow trucks through to manage the traffic.
‘We’ve never seen this before. It’s so difficult to remove,” he told Sky News Australia.
“The truck company has ‘fessed up and the boss is saying he is bringing a magnetic pickup device down to try and hoover this stuff up.”
“Diversions are in place, however, (it) is not suitable for B-Doubles which are being parked,” NSW Police said in a statement.
“Motorists should allow plenty of extra travel time in the area and follow the directions of emergency services and traffic crews, and reduce speed when passing vehicles in the breakdown lanes.
“They are also asked to check their vehicles for damage upon arrival at their destination.”
Those impacted can email a claim to info@njashton.com.au.
