One dead, five injured following major truck crash at Alexandria
Image: 7 News
One woman is dead and five others injured following a major truck crash at Alexandria.
At about 7.45am, a B-double carrying bricks clipped the southbound gutter and veered across three lanes of traffic onto the wrong side of Botany Road, near O’Riordan Street.
The truck hit five pedestrians waiting for a bus before continuing into a power pole and then an abandoned building.
One of the pedestrians, a 44-year-old woman, was killed. Her body remained trapped under rubble for hours.
The 38-year-old driver of the truck was trapped for 45 minutes before being freed by police rescue crews in a critical condition.
He’s reportedly told police he may have suffered a medical episode.
The body of the person who died is trapped in the rubble of an abandoned building which a B-double truck crashed into near Green Square railway station. @2GB873 pic.twitter.com/FVyd9elogu
— Loren Howarth (@loren_howarth) December 11, 2018
12 ambulance crews, a helicopter, firefighters and police were called to the scene.
A 21-year-old female pedestrian remains in a critical condition at St Vincent’s Hospital.
Another female pedestrian, aged 26, and two male pedestrians were also taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for treatment.
One woman declined medical treatment at the scene.
Superintendent Andrew Holland tells 2GB the situation “couldn’t be much worse”.
Natalie was on the scene and phoned Chris Smith, saying “it is a huge disaster”.
Click PLAY to hear Natalie’s call from the scene
The incident has caused traffic chaos on Botany Road. One northbound lane has reopened, however one lane still remains closed between Bourke Street and Epsom Road.
Southbound lanes of Botany Road have since reopened.
Northbound traffic is now being diverted into Collins Street or Epsom Road and southbound traffic is being diverted into Bourke Street.
ALEXANDRIA: Botany Rd remains closed between Bourke St and Epsom Rd due to a multi-vehicle crash involving a truck. A person is trapped. Southbound traffic’s being diverted into Bourke St & northbound into Epsom Rd. pic.twitter.com/XubNIkT5mf
— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) December 11, 2018
Route 301, 302, 303, 309, 309X, 310, 310X, 343, 348, 370, M20, M40 and X93 buses are diverting via local streets and are missing a number of stops.
Commuters can expect delays.
Motorists and bus passengers already in the area are advised to allow plenty of extra travel time.