TRUCKIE ESCAPES WITH HIS LIFE BEFORE CAR-CARRIER GOES UP IN FLAMES

Five new Utes have been destroyed and a truck driver has suffered a fracture in his lower leg after the car-carrier he was driving crashed into a bridge railing on the Pacific Highway on the Mid North Coast overnight.

Emergency services rushed to the scene on Curreeki Creek Bridge at Coolongolook, 50km south of Taree, at around 9.30pm after the southbound prime mover hit and destroyed the side of the concrete bridge.

The driver told police he saw flames coming from the engine hood before the crash.

He was able to escape before the entire rig and utes were engulfed by flames.

The driver is a 28-year-old, from Windsor in Queensland..

He’s now in Manning Base Hospital receiving treatment and undergoing mandatory testing.

The Pacific Highway was closed for two hours while the fire was extinguished and southbound lanes were closed for an additional two hours.

It will be closed again later today to enable the removal of the wreckage.

Inquiries are continuing.

Anyone with information about this incident or dashcam vision around the time of the crash is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.