A truck driver has recalled the terrifying moments he was involved in a major highway accident involving a military tanker.
Michael Rowe was one of several people caught up in the explosive crash on the Bruce Highway in Bazule, Queensland, at 11.25am on Wednesday.
Six people were hospitalized and more than a dozen emergency vehicles were needed to battle the seven-vehicle pileup involving a military tank on a semi-trailer.
A stretch of the highway between Rockhampton and Gladstone was closed, causing major delays for traffic.
One lane of the highway was reopened in stop-and-go conditions at 8.30am on Thursday morning – almost 24 hours after the horrific accident.
A seven-car pile-up involving a military tanker on the Bruce Highway in Bajule, south of Rockhampton, on Wednesday morning.
Mr Rowe, who survived the catastrophic accident which blackened a multi-million dollar army tank and destroyed several other vehicles, said he was lucky to be alive.
Mr Roe said he was traveling from Narangba to Gracemere when he was ‘stuck in the middle of a massive load’.
‘The pilots were telling people to give them space because they were so wide and suddenly braking, everyone was braking, and there were just trucks and not flying all over the place and smashing cars,’ Mr Rowe told the Courier Mail.
Mr Roe said he was caught ‘right in the middle of everything’ but miraculously avoided being hit.
‘I got out and called the ambulance straight away and people were running around, a bit crazy,’ he said.
‘There have been many explosions. I didn’t know, I thought they were fire tires at first, because there was a big fire and that tree was burnt.’
Mr Roe said it was ‘amazing’ he managed to escape the incident unhurt.
A military tanker on a semi-trailer blacked out during the disastrous incident
Big Brother winner Reggie Bird (right) was trapped in his car for 12 hours after the crash
Former Big Brother winner Reggie Bird revealed on Wednesday that he was trapped in his car for 12 hours after the crash.
‘Oh man what a mission,’ said the Big Brother season three winner in a video posted on Facebook.
At 9pm on Wednesday he announced that he had finally reached a camp stop near Harvey Bay after being on the road for 12 hours.
‘Had a long day,’ she said in one post.
‘But we are safe, having made a few calls to ourselves.
‘I can’t think about the accident today.
‘My heart goes out to everyone involved.’
A stretch of the highway between Rockhampton and Gladstone was closed on Wednesday causing major delays for traffic.
On Thursday, one person was said to be in a stable condition in Rockhampton, while another was in a stable condition in Gladstone.
The rest are said to have been released from the hospital.
According to police, officials reached the spot and found three vehicles on fire and four others heavily damaged, including a B-double truck, a semi-trailer (carrying military tanks), a flat-bed truck carrying two caravans, three cars and a 4WD caravan. tension
It is understood the tank was involved in the largest Australia-US bilateral military training exercise, the 10th iteration of Exercise Talisman Sabre, which ran from July 22 to August 4.
Police will investigate whether another driver failed to yield to the oversized truck carrying the tank, which was being driven by a civilian with escorts.
Motorists are still advised to expect long delays in the area and to stop traveling if possible.