29.03.2024

Truck crashed into building and cars in Singleton

A stolen truck smashed into a number of cars before exploding in flames and leaving at least eight people injured in what was described as a ‘scene from the movies’.

Eye-witnesses described seeing the semi-trailer travelling at 100km/h on a main street and ploughing into four cars before thick black smoke billowed into the air.

Two motorists were left critical as another eight were injured in the crash on George Street, at Singleton, shortly before 7.30am on Wednesday.

Witness Meri Basci told Daily Mail Australia she was on her way to work when she saw the truck being driven ‘erratically’ over the bridge before it crashed and burst into flames.

‘I saw a lot of dust under his wheels… it all happened so fast,’ Ms Basci said.

A stolen truck (pictured) crashed into buildings and a number of cars in NSW Wednesday

NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the accident occurred on George Street at Singleton (pictured)

NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the accident occurred on George Street at Singleton (pictured)

A truck (pictured) crashed into four cars and one person was trapped and in a critical condition

A truck (pictured) crashed into four cars and one person was trapped and in a critical condition

The semi-trailer crashed into four cars in the crash on Wednesday morning 

The semi-trailer crashed into four cars in the crash on Wednesday morning

The accident took place in country town of Singleton, about 200km north of Sydney

The accident took place in country town of Singleton, about 200km north of Sydney

‘I couldn’t even understand how he could drive that fast over the bridge without hitting anyone or anything.

‘A second later all I could hear was a big bang and a lot of black smoke.’

Another witness, Daniel Storey, told Australian Associated Press that he heard ‘crash after crash after crash’.

‘Some cars have been taken out by the truck,’ Mr Storey said.

‘He’s caused it all. When he crashed, he got out of his truck and tried to get into another truck.’

Debbie Anderson, 59, was taken to hospital with bruising on her arms and legs after getting caught in the huge crash.

Ms Anderson told Daily Mail Australia the accident happened quickly and all she could see was the truck coming towards her.

‘The truck drove the red car into my car, ploughed it like it was ploughing a field,’ she said.

‘I’d been thrown sideways… all I could see was dust, I didn’t know if it was smoke.’

Ms Anderson said she forced her car door open and was then looked after by some people at a nearby cafe until paramedics arrived.

Debbie Anderson was involved in the accident where she said the truck ploughed into the cars like he was 'ploughing a field'

Debbie Anderson was involved in the accident where she said the truck ploughed into the cars like he was ‘ploughing a field’

The 59-year-old said she had been thrown sideways where all she could see was dust

The 59-year-old said she had been thrown sideways where all she could see was dust

Eye witnesses have described the scene in the town something you would 'see in the movies'

Eye witnesses have described the scene in the town something you would ‘see in the movies’

‘There was police and people everywhere… the truck ended up down further probably 100 metres away,’ she said.

‘It was something you would see in the movies.’

At the time of the accident, the 59-year-old said she had been sitting in traffic in Singleton for at least ten minutes.

With only one main road in and out of the town, Ms Anderson told Daily Mail Australia the stationary traffic were like ‘sitting ducks’.

‘If they knew what was coming why didn’t they sit us in the side streets,’ she said.

At the time of the accident, the 59-year-old said she had been sitting in traffic in Singleton for at least ten minutes

Witness Meri Basci told Daily Mail Australia she was on her way to work when she saw the truck being driven ‘at least 100km/h’

‘I saw a lot of dust under his wheels… it all happened so fast,’ Ms Basci said

It is believed eight people were injured and two are in a critical condition in hospital, according to NSW Ambulance.

NSW Ambulance Inspector Luke Wiseman said it was ‘chaotic’ when they first arrived before 9am with a number of ‘distressed people’.

A 64-year-old man is in a critical condition with head and chest injuries and was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital.

A 62-year-old woman is also in a critical condition with pelvic and hip injuries.

Another witness said they heard ‘crash after crash after crash’ in the town’s centre (pictured)

The driver of the stolen truck was arrested at the horrific scene by police (pictured)

‘The scale and suddenness of the incident and the fact that is has happened in a smaller community means a lot of people are in shock, so it was a challenging scene,’ Mr Wiseman said.

Huge blankets of black smoke can be seen and one witness reportedly said there was a ‘huge fireball’ with cars ‘all over the road’.

The driver stole the truck from a BP service station in Murrurundi early Wednesday morning, NSW Police said. The truck exploded into ‘fireball’ flames (pictured) after police stopped truck with road spikes

The truck was seen driving erratically along the New England Highway through Muswellbrook towards Singleton.

Police laid road spikes to stop the truck as it approached Singleton where it crashed and caught fire in the town’s centre near the Royal Hotel and Shell petrol station.

The driver was arrested at the scene.

The New England Highway is closed in both directions.

An investigation will be launched following the fiery accident. Four people have been injured and two are in a critical condition, including a 67-year-old man

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