Overview
- Two northbound trucks collided at the Windmills rest area and then struck parked heavy vehicles, triggering a chain‑reaction fire just after 5am on Tuesday, June 30.
- Firefighters and specialist hazmat crews imposed a 300‑metre exclusion zone and used bulk water and foam to fight the blaze, which was largely contained by midday though smouldering continued.
- All seven involved trucks were destroyed and six drivers were treated for minor injuries, two were taken to Goulburn Hospital for mandatory testing, and one driver remains unaccounted for as searches continue.
- Authorities said the fires were fuelled by hazardous loads including eight tonnes of butane cans, alcohol, resin and memory foam, and Fire Rescue NSW warned smoke may contain formaldehyde, prompting environmental monitoring and decontamination.
- The Hume Highway is closed in both directions with traffic diverted via the Barton and Federal Highways through Canberra, and police have established a crash investigation scene with cleanup and salvage expected to take many hours or days.