Stock die after truck and trailer roll blocks road

ANDY JACKSON/Taranaki Daily News

MAJOR DELAYS: Firefighters work to separate a truck and trailer and free trapped stock after the truck crashed on State Highway 3 at Awakino yesterday, closing the main road to and from Taranaki for about two hours.

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A stock truck jack-knifed and slid about 50m uphill at Awakino, closing the main route in and out of Taranaki for about two hours yesterday.

The accident happened just before noon, near the Awakino Hotel, backing up traffic on State Highway 3 for kilometres in both directions while emergency services cleared the scene.

The southbound truck came to rest facing the opposite direction it was travelling, between 50 to 60 metres uphill from where scrape marks appeared on the road, with the truck and trailer blocking the road.

The police Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit is investigating the cause of the crash.

A volunteer firefighter had to shoot five animals injured in the crash, while another six escaped the wreckage and are missing.

The accident was an unexpected bonus for the owner of the Awakino Hotel, Craig Morrison, who did six times his usual business for a Monday in two hours. Mr Morrison said the biggest request from people was to use the telephone, as there is no cellphone coverage in the area.

Constable Daniel Walter, of Mokau, said inquiries into what had caused the truck and trailer to crash were continuing.

"It appears the driver lost control on the left hand bend," Mr Walter said.

Speed was being looked at, he said. "It is possible, given the fact he had a full load of cattle on board, that a weight shift was the cause."

The 42-year-old driver received a dislocated shoulder.

The two-hour road closure trapped motorists heading to and from Taranaki, while firefighters released stock from the truck and trailer and pulled them apart to allow one lane to be opened.

Hector Grant, of Whangarei, was heading to New Plymouth and had stopped for something to eat when he heard the crash.

"I heard the first big crash and I thought that sounds like a quarry and then there was more, so I knew it was something different," he said.

An InterCity bus heading to New Plymouth with about 20 passengers aboard was one of the hundreds of vehicles delayed.

The driver, Jeff Brown, said his first thoughts were for the truck driver.

"I've seen two fatal accidents since January," Mr Brown said.

InterCity cancelled the return trip to Auckland.

Mr Morrison said he had a hectic two hours serving drinks and refreshments to motorists stuck in the queue of traffic.

"It is not a good way to be flat out but it was good business for us," he said.

A crane was used to lift the truck back on to its wheels about 4pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News