Major operation to recover semi-trailer from embankment | Gulmarrad

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have been involved in a major emergency operation to recover a semi-trailer that ran off the Pacific Highway and crashed down an embankment yesterday, near Maclean, in the state’s northern rivers district.

The crash occurred just before 2pm but it took emergency crews almost seven hours to extricate the B-double from bushland.

The rig had crossed from the southbound to the northbound lanes of the highway and careered 30-metres into a gully.

Firefighters from Gulmarrad, Maclean and Grafton were also faced with around 500 litres of diesel fuel, that spilt from the truck’s ruptured fuel tanks.

Police, Rural Fire Service, NSW Ambulance and State Emergency Service crews were also on scene.

One lane was blocked as a crane was brought in to lift the prime mover and its empty trailer out of the bush during the prolonged emergency operation.

The driver suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Media note – FRNSW drone footage of the recovery operation is available here: https://vimeo.com/998464971/fe804c0dfd