Rolling truck throws driver

A 42-year-old truck driver from Timaru suffered life-threatening injuries this morning after his truck and trailer unit carrying a load of steel rolled on State Highway 6, five kilometres north of Murchison.

St John Ambulance team manager Jon Leach said the driver was flown to Nelson Hospital by the Summit rescue helicopter with traumatic brain injuries and serious chest injuries following the crash, which happened at 5.20am.

As well as the St John advanced paramedic on the helicopter, police, firefighters and an ambulance from Murchison attended the accident.

Constable Mike McDougal of Murchison police said the driver had failed to negotiate a bend and the truck had left the road and ended up in a paddock upside down, parallel to the road.

"It isn't a good corner. It's a bit of a black spot."

Mr McDougal said the driver was thrown from the cab and his arm was pinned under some of the steel the truck was carrying. He was freed relatively quickly.

The steel on the truck was to be used for the roof of the Air New Zealand hangar at Nelson Airport, he said.

The crash closed the road to one lane this morning.

Mr McDougal said the steel would be taken to Nelson separately and the truck would be checked by police for mechanical faults.

The cause of the crash was not known. Serious-crash investigators and a crime scene officer were expected to spend several hours at the crash site today.

- © Fairfax NZ News