Hume Highway closed after B-double truck fire near Yass

A B-double truck carrying compressed recycled cardboard caught fire on the Hume Highway near Manton, north of Yass, on Monday, September 7. The incident was triggered by a mechanical issue that caused a fire within the prime mover. Despite attempts to use an onboard fire extinguisher, the blaze spread, destroying both the vehicle and its trailers.

The driver escaped the vehicle without injury and was assessed by paramedics at the scene. Emergency responders from the NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW utilized heavy machinery to separate the cardboard to fully extinguish the flames.

Southbound lanes of the Hume Highway were closed to traffic, with diversions in place via Yass Valley Way and the Barton Highway. Police stated that the fire was caused by mechanical failure and found no suspicious circumstances. This incident follows a previous event on June 30 where six trucks were destroyed in a separate fire at the Breadalbane Windmills Rest Area.