A massive emergency response is underway after a serious crash involving at least 10 vehicles on NSW’s M1 Pacific Motorway about 7am Thursday, with a truck driver who was “severely trapped” inside his vehicle for more than an hour finally freed.
The multi-vehicle crash on Peats Ferry Bridge, involving several cars including a ute and a truck, has caused heavy traffic conditions, with all southbound lanes and one northbound lane closed.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said an injured truck driver was “severely trapped”.
“Firefighters are working with the paramedics to start to work out how to rescue this person out of the vehicle and that includes cutting and pushing of the vehicle to gain access to it so they can treat the injuries and then get them out and into hospital as soon as possible,” Dewberry said on 2GB.
In a later update, Superintendent Dewberry said the truck driver, a man aged in his late teens, was conscious, but that the dashboard had collapsed onto his lower body.
He was freed a short time ago after being trapped for more than an hour.
NSW Ambulance confirmed he was airlifted to hospital with leg and pelvic injuries.
All northbound lanes were forced to close earlier so a helicopter could land at the scene. Two of the three plans have since reopened to allow northbound traffic through.
Emergency services, Transport for NSW, a tow truck and a rescue helicopter are responding to the scene.
Cars have been directed to divert via the Mount White interchange; however, trucks have been forced to park as the route is not suitable for heavy vehicles.
NSW Ambulance paramedics are checking a number of people at the scene.
All southbound lanes are expected to remain closed for a number of hours.
The horror crash comes less than a week after a truck spilled metal debris onto the same motorway, shredding the tyres of at least 300 cars.
